The hype around Montreal Canadiens rookie Ivan Demidov has been unmatched—and he didn’t disappoint in his NHL debut. But it’s not just on the ice that things are going well for the Russian top prospect. His agent has now revealed some truly stunning details about a record-breaking contract Demidov recently signed.
Ivan Demidov has finally arrived in North America, bringing massive excitement to the Montreal Canadiens fanbase. When he traveled from Russia—where he set an all-time record for points in a season by an Under-20 player—his flight became the most tracked in the world.
Plenty of fans were at the airport to greet him and welcome him to Montreal. On Monday, he made his long-awaited NHL debut to the sheer delight of Canadiens fans. And he immediately showed why the buzz has been so intense. Demidov recorded a goal and an assist against the Chicago Blackhawks in his first-ever NHL game and received a standing ovation postgame.
Ivan Demidov signs record contract
But it’s not just his on-ice performance that’s making waves. Dan Milstein—Demidov’s agent and a representative for many NHL players—said Monday that he’s never seen anything like the hype surrounding his client.
“It’s unreal. I have clients on 28 teams, but I’ve never seen anything like this—the excitement, but also the pressure. Even with active top players, it wasn’t at this level. The whole city is going wild,” he told RG.
Milstein also revealed that Demidov has already broken records off the ice. The former No. 5 overall pick signed the biggest endorsement deal in the history of Warrior, the hockey gear and apparel brand—even before playing his first NHL game.
“Yes, we’ve already signed a major sponsorship deal—with Warrior Sports,” Milstein said.
“It’s the biggest in Warrior’s history. They’ve said Ivan will be their most important client. Today, he’s playing in Bauer gear, but starting next season, he’ll switch to Warrior for three years and become the face of their brand.”
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