Ivan Demidov is settling well into life with the Montreal Canadiens. The 19-year-old winger from Russia has been a calm and confident presence on the Habs, a style that fits perfectly alongside the team’s young core.
Montreal drafted him fifth overall in the 2024 NHL Draft, and he’s already showing why he was such a high pick.
In Saturday’s 4–3 overtime win against the Ottawa Senators, Demidov was again an important part of the story. He scored late in the third period to tie the game, continuing his strong start to the year. But the night also had another storyline involving one of his teammates.
Why Did Jayden Struble Stand Up for Demidov?
When the Canadiens met the Senators at Bell Centre on Saturday, emotions were high. It was the first time Ottawa forward Nick Cousins faced Montreal since his preseason slash on Demidov. That hit left a mark on the team’s memory, and defenseman Struble isn’t one to forget such a slight.
With the game tied 2–2 early in the third period, Struble dropped the gloves with Cousins. It was his way of standing up for his rookie teammate. After the game, Struble was open about his reason for fighting.
“When you have a guy like that taking a shot at your star young player, I mean, that was a bad play,” he said. “None of us liked it. Obviously, we were thinking about it, and this is the first time we’ve played him since. So, that was on our minds. You can’t just go around and try to hurt our best players, you know.”
Demidov is on a three-year, $2.82 million contract that runs through the 2026–27 season. He has started the 2025–26 season strong, with 3 goals and 7 assists for 10 points in 12 games. His plus-minus of +4 and average ice time of nearly 14 minutes show that the coaches trust him in key moments.
His three-point night against the Vancouver Canucks earlier in the season showed exactly how much his confidence has grown. His teammates clearly have his back, and Demidov has also completely bought into what Montreal wants to do this season.
But back to the game.
Struble’s action seemed to lift the team despite Tim Stutzle’s third-period goal. A few minutes later, Demidov tied the game with a hard slap shot at 17:37. The Canadiens carried that energy into overtime, where Alex Newhook scored the winning goal.
Struble also talked about how close the Canadiens have become this season. He said he felt proud of how the group responded.
“It’s crazy how we just keep doing this, and our star players step up for us every time,” he added. “When we’re down, it doesn’t feel like we’re down. It’s like, all right, someone’s gonna score, send it to OT, and then someone’s gonna win it. It’s a crazy thing to be a part of right now. It’s very fun, and I just love the way we’re playing.”
The win gave Montreal its third straight victory and showed how just close this young team has become.