Defenseman Tony DeAngelo has conveyed a strong message to the Montreal Canadiens about his new teammate, Ivan Demidov. Known for being hard to impress, DeAngelo recently shared his thoughts with Habs fans.
“Hey MTL fans! Demi should have had 5 points last night. I missed a chance he set up for me in the first period. He’s really talented!”
DeAngelo is clearly impressed with Demidov, especially given that the Canadiens’ 2024 fifth overall pick has tallied 11 points in 18 KHL games, despite typically playing only 3 to 4 minutes per game throughout most of that time.
On the other hand, DeAngelo, a former player for the Carolina Hurricanes and New York Rangers, seems to be excelling in the KHL, having amassed 16 points in just 10 games this season after totaling 210 points in 371 NHL games.
It will be fascinating to monitor Demidov’s development, particularly as his ice time appears to be increasing (11-13 minutes per game) while playing on a third line alongside Evgeny Kuznetsov.
As for the possibility of Demidov moving to the NHL this season, Bill Daly indicated that it’s quite unlikely. However, he is expected to join next season, providing a valuable addition to Martin St. Louis’s offensive lineup and the Montreal Canadiens.
