What is Ivan Demidov’s ceiling with the Canadiens as a rookie?

Ivan Demdiov is the odds-on favorite to win the Calder Trophy – but just how good can he be?

The former KHL star joined the Montreal Canadiens for the team’s playoff run last year, making waves immediately. It was a small taste of what he’s capable of, but hopes are high for the skilled Russian winger in his first full season with the Habs.

On Thursday’s episode of Daily Faceoff Live with Tyler Yaremchuk and Carter Hutton, Daily Faceoff prospect analyst Steven Ellis shared his thoughts on the hotshot forward:

Tyler Yaremchuk: “(Ivan Demidov) made a big buzz when he arrived in North America late last season. It’s basically him versus the field, but I want to circle in on him. What’s his ceiling? Are we talking about a guy who can be a 70-point player this year?

Steven Ellis: “I think 60 points probably feels a bit safe. He’s not going to be on that top line unless there are a few injuries there. And you’ve got to look at who he’s playing with. Is it going to be Kirby Dach? Is it going to be Patrik Laine? Those are two guys who are going to need a bounce-back season themselves. But I think with Demidov, this is a guy with a bright future. You look at all the teams that win Stanley Cups, and they have more than one really strong offensive line. You throw Demidov in the picture there in Montreal – that’s going to be one heck of a group.

“So I think 60 points probably feels good this year. I wouldn’t be surprised if we’re talking about a 95-point guy, 2-3 years down the line. I think that they’re going to give them a lot of opportunities here to be a dominant offensive force, just like he was in the KHL, hopefully without playing like the nine or 10 minutes he played very often there.”

Carter Hutton: “I think for him, he’s gonna have to add some slash guards on there because he’s gonna have to get used to the NHL and things getting a little tougher on him.”

You can watch the full episode below: