Canadiens Young Star Named Top Breakout Candidate For 2026-27
Montreal Canadiens forward Ivan Demidov has gotten a nice shout-out.
In a recent article for The Hockey News’ main site, Michael Traikos named Demidov as among the top breakout candidates to keep an eye on for the 2026-27 season.
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“For someone with his ability, don’t be surprised if that step looks more like a leap and he scores 40 goals next season,” Traikos wrote about Demidov.
When looking at how well Demidov performed as a rookie last season for the Canadiens, it is understandable that he has been named a top breakout candidate for next season. In 82 games last season for the Habs, he posted 19 goals, 43 assists, and 62 points.
Yet, when noting that Demidov is just one season into his NHL career and only 20 years old, it is clear that he has not hit his ceiling yet. Now that he has a year of experience at the NHL level, it would not be too surprising if he cemented himself as a top star in the league in 2026-27.
The Canadiens also made it abundantly clear earlier this off-season that they have immense confidence in Demidov. They signed the young star to an eight-year, $73.2 million contract extension, which kicks in during the 2027-28 season. Getting this kind of deal could also be very motivating for the young forward.
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It is going to be very interesting to see what kind of season Demidov can put together for the Canadiens from here. The Habs have done a good job at helping their top young players grow, and it would not be surprising if Demidov follows that trend next season.
