The NHL rookie race has been THROWN into chaos — and Montreal Canadiens sensation Ivan Demidov is suddenly fighting for his life in a battle no one saw coming.
What looked like a runaway Calder Trophy campaign for the young Russian star has now been completely disrupted by an unexpected challenger:
Mathew Schaefer of the New York Islanders.
Yes — a defenseman is derailing the hype train.
Only weeks ago, Demidov was the uncontested darling of NHL analysts everywhere. With elite KHL numbers and a dazzling NHL debut featuring a goal and an assist, he was being praised as Montreal’s next superstar, the spark of a franchise desperate for identity.
But everything changed when Schaefer caught fire.
The Islanders blueliner suddenly erupted offensively, hammering home power-play goals and matching Demidov point-for-point. By early November, the unthinkable happened:
Demidov and Schaefer were tied at 10 points.
The Montreal rookie who once stood alone at the top was now staring at a challenger who wasn’t even supposed to be in the conversation.
Inside Montreal, the mood has shifted.
Demidov is feeling the pressure. The media spotlight is harsher. Expectations are heavier. And every game now feels like a referendum on his future.
For the Canadiens — a team still rebuilding and clinging to hope — Demidov is more than just a rookie. He’s the franchise’s promise, its headline, its future. But with Schaefer’s sudden rise, the rookie landscape has been shaken, and Demidov now faces the toughest test of his young career:
Can he respond? Can he dominate? Can he prove he deserves to lead this Calder race?
The NHL has rarely seen a rookie battle this tight — or this dramatic.
Schaefer is surging, Demidov is scrambling, and the season is only beginning.
One thing is certain:
The calm is over. The Calder war is ON — and Ivan Demidov must fight back before the spotlight turns into a spotlight he can’t escape.
