Ivan Demidov sent a strong message to Martin St-Louis and the Montreal Canadiens: they are no longer hiding from their rebuilding process.
The complete results for the 2026 Calder Trophy are out, and Montreal did more than just have one rookie score high.
The Canadiens had two players in the top four and another one in the top eleven.
Matthew Schaefer took home the award with 1,980 points and 198 votes for first place.
That was something people expected once his season really started to shine.
The main story for Montreal is that Demidov came in second with 1,158 points.
He also earned 120 votes for second place, which shows he was clearly in the running for a top spot.
This is important because Demidov led all first-year players with 62 points over 82 games.
He outperformed Jimmy Snuggerud, Jesper Wallstedt, Alexander Nikishin, and Ryan Leonard.
That’s not just a casual mention; it’s a sign of real respect around the league.
Montreal also added another name to the list. Oliver Kapanen ended up 11th with 16 points in the voting.
Kapanen scored 22 goals during 82 games, showing the Canadiens have another rookie who fit in well for an entire season. His salary of $925,000 makes him a valuable player.
Schaefer earned the trophy, and that is clear. What really matters is what’s shown in the standings after looking past first place.
Demidov, Dobes, and Kapanen all put Montreal’s rookies in the top eleven.
This kind of talent gives the team a boost in expectations quickly and provides St-Louis with a young group of players arriving together.
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