Alexander Zharovsky Heads to Montreal Next Week With Demidov

alexander zharovsky is expected to arrive in Montreal next week, making his first trip there since the Canadiens drafted him in 2025. He will spend part of the summer training with Ivan Demidov, giving Montreal an early look at two Russian prospects working together at the same practice base.

Demidov Opens the Door

Demidov said he will spend his summer training in Montreal for the second year in a row, and he invited Zharovsky to join him. The plan points both players toward the Canadiens practice facility in Brossard, where they are likely to train during part of the summer.

For Montreal, the setup connects two names the organization now has tied to the same offseason routine. Demidov is already in that environment, and Zharovsky is set to enter it for the first time since the draft.

Zharovsky’s KHL Year

Zharovsky arrives off a season that gave him a clear mark in the KHL. He was named KHL Rookie of the Year at the annual awards ceremony last Thursday after finishing his first full season with 16 goals and 42 points in 59 games for Salavat UFA.

He tied for the rookie lead with 16 goals and led KHL rookies with 42 points. The 59-game season was also the first time he played over 50 games in his professional hockey career.

A Summer In Brossard

His postseason line was smaller, with 2 assists in 10 games, but the regular season was enough to put him on Montreal’s radar for the summer. Demidov already has one KHL Rookie of the Year award from the 2024-25 season with SKA St. Petersburg, and the two will now share ice time while Zharovsky settles into his first Montreal visit as a draft pick.

Nick Suzuki has described Demidov as a player who wants to win, is a team-first guy, and is not worried about money. That leaves the Canadiens with a simple offseason picture: one prospect staying in Montreal for a second summer, another arriving for the first time next week, and both set to work out in Brossard while Zharovsky’s next step begins.