Ivan Demidov was given the honor of KHL Rookie of the Year nominee on Friday morning. It's no surprise that he received the nomination, as he broke the U20 KHL scoring record with 49 points in 65 games. It beat Kirill Kaprizov's record of 42 points in 49 games. Semyon Zyazovoi and Yegor Surin were the other nominees.
Zyazovoi had a .938 save percentage and a 1.80 goals-against average in 21 games. Meanwhile, Surin had 14 points in 41 games. It isn't a slam dunk that Demidov will win the award, as Zyazovoi's season is something special as a rookie goaltender in any league. There's also the point of Demidov having left Russia, which doesn't always sit well with the league.
The Montreal Canadiens hope that Demidov will be in the mix for the Calder Memorial Trophy next season. He'll likely get some competition from players like Zeev Buium and Ryan Leonard. Gabe Perreault also has the potential to put up some significant points with the New York Rangers.
Demidov could have competition from his own team, if Jacob Fowler or David Reinbacher make their debuts next season. Reinbacher won't likely get enough points to be in consideration, but Fowler could depending on if he wins the backup job and challenges Sam Montembeault for some starts. It's unlikely, but it should be an interesting rookie class for next year.
Canadiens looking to go back-to-back
Lane Hutson is the run-away favorite to win the Calder Trophy this season, which could put Demidov in a position to win back-to-back trophies for the Canadiens. There's also a chance Michael Hage makes his debut in 2026-27, which would give Montreal a chance at an unprecedented three-in-a-row. That could also be Fowler's year if he stays in Laval for another season.
If you take a poll around the league right now, they likely label Demidov as the favorite for next season. However, those same people likely thought the same of Matvei Michkov and Macklin Celebrini this year. You never know who can emerge as the runaway favorite.