Ice Chips: Habs' Demidov on a line with Armia, Newhook
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Montreal Canadiens
Top prospect Ivan Demidov will make his NHL debut as the Canadiens take on the Chicago Blackhawks in a crucial matchup on Monday.
Demidov was drafted fifth overall by the Canadiens in the 2024 draft and came over from SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL last week.
The 6-foot-1 winger skated on a line with Joel Armia and Alex Newhook while Michael Pezzetta will be a healthy scratch to make room for him in the lineup, according to Stu Cowan of the Montreal Gazette.
Demidov recorded 19 goals and 49 points in 65 games in the KHL as a 19-year-old this season.
He was ranked as the No. 1 prospect on TSN Director of Scouting Craig Button's Top 50 NHL-affiliated prospects in February.
Demidov comes at a crucial time for the Canadiens as they're looking to clinch the playoffs for the first time since 2021.
Montreal holds a three-point advantage over the Columbus Blue Jackets for the final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference and needs two points to book their ticket.
The Canadiens used these lines during Monday's morning skate:
Caufield - Suzuki - Slafkovsky
Anderson - Dvorak - Gallagher
Armia - Newhook - Demidov
Laine - Evans - Kapanen
Matheson - Carrier
Guhle - Hutson
Struble/Xhekaj - Savard
Montembeault
Dobes
Ottawa Senators
Captain Brady Tkachuk is skating with the Senators for the first time since sustaining an upper-body injury on March 30, according to TSN's Claire Hanna.
Tkachuk has missed the team's last seven games with the injury as he continues to weigh the benefits of rust versus rest prior to the playoffs.
The 6-foot-4 winger has 29 goals and 55 points in 71 games this season.
Ottawa used these lines during Monday's practice:
Vancouver Canucks
The Canucks recalled defenceman Kirill Kudryavtsev from the AHL's Abbotsford Canucks on Monday under emergency conditions.
Kudryavtsev, 21, was drafted 208th overall in the 2022 draft and has five goals and 26 points in 63 AHL games this season.
Boston Bruins
The Bruins recalled forward John Farinacci and defenceman Frederic Brunet from the AHL's Providence Bruins and assigned forward Riley Duran and Michael Callahan to Providence.
Buffalo Sabres
The Sabres assigned goaltender Scott Ratzlaff to the AHL's Rochester Americans on Monday.
Ratzlaff appeared in 49 games with the Western Hockey League's Seattle Thunderbirds last season, going 23-19-3 with a 3.16 goals-against average and .910 save percentage.
Chicago Blackhawks
Arvid Soderblom is expected to start against the Montreal Canadiens on Monday, according to Ben Pope of the Chicago Sun-Times.
Soderblom, 25, has a 9-18-7 record this season with a .899 save percentage and a 3.19 goals-against average.
Spencer Knight is expected to get the start in net in the team's season finale against the Ottawa Senators on Tuesday.
Knight, 23, has a 4-8-2 record since joining the Blackhawks prior to the trade deadline and has a 3.20 GAA and .893 save percentage.
Colorado Avalanche
The Avalanche assigned forwards Chris Wagner, T.J. Tynan, and Jere Innala, and defencemen Jack Ahcan and Wyatt Aamodt to the AHL's Colorado Eagles on Monday.
Detroit Red Wings
Cam Talbot is expected to start in net when the Red Wings take on the Dallas Stars on Monday, according to Helene St. James of the Detroit Free Press.
Talbot, 37, has a 20-19-4 record this season with a .904 save percentage and 2.88 goals against average.
Florida Panthers
Sam Bennett will return to the Panthers' lineup on Monday when they take on the New York Rangers.
Bennett, 28, was originally reported to be out for the remainder of the season with an upper-body injury, but head coach Paul Muarice says he's 100 per cent and wants to play.
The 6-foot-1 centre has 25 goals and 50 points in 74 games this season.
Sergei Bobrovsky will be in net on Monday against the Rangers as they Panthers continue their fight for home-ice advantage in the first round of the playoffs.
Bobrovsky has a 33-18-2 record this season with a 2.39 goals-against average and .908 save percentage.
Los Angeles Kings
The Kings assigned forward Koehn Ziemmer to the AHL's Ontario Reign on Monday.
Ziemmer, 20, appeared in 61 games with the Western Hockey League's Prince George Cougars this season, recording 37 goals and 71 points.
New Jersey Devils
The Devils recalled forward Marc McLaughlin from the AHL's Utica Comets on Monday.
The Devils have assigned forward Cam Squires to the Comets on Monday.
Squires, 20, appeared in 58 games with the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League's Cape Breton Eagles last season, recording 24 goals and 75 points.
San Jose Sharks
The Sharks recalled forward Danil Gushchin and defencemen Luca Cagnoni and Jimmy Schuldt from the AHL's San Jose Barracuda on Monday.
Tampa Bay Lightning
Defenceman Darren Raddysh is day-to-day with an undisclosed injury, according to assistant coach Rob Zettler.
Raddysh, 29, will skate on Tuesday and is a possibility to play in the team's final game against the Florida Panthers.
The 6-foot-1 right-shot defenceman has five goals and 36 points in 71 games while averaging 17:15 of ice time.
Utah Hockey Club
Goaltender Matt Villalta will make his season debut with the Utah Hockey Club on Monday against the Nashville Predators, head coach Andre Tourigny confirmed.
Villalta, 25, appeared with the Arizona Coyotes for two games last season and went 0-1-0 with a 4.17 goals-against average and .828 save percentage.
He has a 17-21-4 record with the AHL's Tucson Roadrunners this season with a 3.01 GAA and .906 save percentage.
Additionally, forward Liam O'Brien will return to the lineup on Monday after 14 games with a lower-body injury.
The 6-foot-1 forward has two assists in 27 games this season.
Washington Capitals
The Capitals recalled goaltender Clay Stevenson from the AHL's Hershey Bears and assigned netminder Hunter Shepard back to Hersey on Monday,.