NHL insider calls out Canadiens podcast for livestreaming Ivan Demidov's arrival at the ariport

NHL insider Darren Dreger called out Montreal Canadiens' fans for live streaming 19-year-old prospect Ivan Demidov's arrival at the airport in Toronto. Demidov was selected by the Canadiens fifth overall in the 2024 NHL entry draft and fans were eager to catch a glimpse of the highly touted Russian winger.

Dozens of Canadiens supporters turned up at Pearson Airport and over 300,000 tuned in to a live stream hosted by Montreal radio personality Tony Marinaro.

Over 180,000 concurrent viewers tuned in on Twitter, resulting in over 793,000 impressions and 121,000 engagements. The YouTube stream garnered over 35,000 views.

Speaking on Saturday's episode of Flamesnation's Barn Burner podcast, Dreger expressed disbelief at the spectacle, acknowledging fans' excitement about Demidov's potential. However, he was critical of "The Sick Man podcast," who livestreamed Demidov's arrival.

“They want to see what potentially the future is, and he could be a big part of it, but, Holy Christ, can we just pump the brakes? Yes. Like, what are we talking about?”

With Montreal battling for a playoff spot, Dreger noted the pressure coach Martin St. Louis faces to integrate Demidov down the stretch. He warned that improperly developing the rookie could set him up for struggles.

Dreger stressed the importance of letting Ivan Demidov establish himself at the NHL level over time, rather than expecting him to immediately produce as a savior.

"Let this kid find his way and when he scores his first 20 in the NHL. All right, here we go golf clafs like awesome."

The Montreal Canadiens are on the brink of clinching a playoff spot with just two games remaining in the regular season. They can secure their place with either a win, an overtime point, or if the Columbus Blue Jackets — who are battling them for the final wild card spot — lose their next game.

Canadiens' Patrik Laine's take on Ivan Demidov

Veteran Canadiens forward Patrik Laine shared his thoughts on the team’s recent addition of 19-year-old Russian Ivan Demidov, who signed a three-year entry-level contract this week after cutting his KHL deal short.

When asked what he knew about Demidov, Laine bluntly responded:

"He's Russian, and he's left-handed. That's pretty much it." Laine said on Friday media briefing.

Laine suggested fans should temper their expectations for Demidov's immediate impact, noting:

"I don't watch the KHL anymore, but he apparently has good skills. European hockey is boring because of the size of the rinks. It's slower. I prefer it here, there's less skating."

He added that the NHL is the best league in the world and transitioning so late into the season right before the playoffs will be difficult for Demidov.

According to analyst Elliotte Friedman, the Canadiens plan to get Ivan Demidov into at least one of their final regular season games, likely Monday against Chicago, before the playoffs start.