Reeling from the debacle that was their last game in Edmonton, the Montreal Canadiens travelled farther west to meet the Vancouver Canucks and try to get back in the win column. It wasn’t the prettiest at times, but they got the job done, and remain atop the Atlantic division as of this writing.
What was quite pretty was the play of a certain Ivan Demidov, who put himself in the driver’s seat for the Habs and took over that game.
De Demidov à Suzuki.
— TVA Sports (@TVASports) October 26, 2025
On va entendre ça longtemps. pic.twitter.com/HHATKab4Uk
Perhaps the most important development, and one that the fan base has been clamouring for since the season began, is how good he looks on the top power play unit. He set up the Nick Suzuki goal above, another for Juraj Slafkovsky later in the game, and both goals were extremely easy for their respective scorers to finish with how well he moves the puck. They can use Demidov just about anywhere on that unit, and he makes it infinitely more dangerous than it was in the games they played without him. Whatever else happens moving forward, he absolutely cannot be removed from that unit.
The Canucks had the edge in five-on-five play for most of the night, but the Habs’ skill, particularly that of Demidov, allowed them to overcome. You won’t be able to dominate even-strength stats every night in the NHL, and when you can’t, you need your skill players to step up like he did.
We also saw something else from him that hasn’t quite been a focus yet this season.
PARDON DEMIDOV??? 😮💨😮💨😮💨 pic.twitter.com/M7rk2ccyp1
— TVA Sports (@TVASports) October 26, 2025
Anyone who followed his season in the KHL last year knows that his shot is a formidable weapon. If he can start doing this more often, it will be a massive boost for an already potent offensive team. There’s a lot of excitement around the Habs right now, and what we’re seeing from the young Russian is a big part of why people think this team is headed for big things.
Don’t forget that he’s still a teenager, and he’s just getting started in this league.
Click the play button below to listen to your full Bottom Six Minutes, also available wherever you get your podcasts. We’ll be back after an incredibly late game this Tuesday night, when the Habs will be in Seattle to visit the Kraken.
