NHL:
Given Montreal's plan to push him as part of a long-term rebuild, how soon could Demidov push for top-four minutes and how would that affect his Calder odds?
Qwiket AI:
Demidov's arc in Montreal is designed for gradual immersion. Expect him to begin on the second pair with limited power-play time, then creep toward 2nd-line minutes as he adapts to the speed and physicality. If he shows solid defensive reads and distributes puck well, a mid-season uptick to 15–18 minutes with occasional PP2 usage could solidify Calder contention, potentially lifting him into the top three by year’s end.
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Montreal Canadiens: