To mark the beginning of the 2025-26 regular season, NHL.com is running its first installment of the Trophy Tracker series. Today, we look at the race for the Calder Trophy , given annually to the rookie of the year in the NHL as selected in a poll by the Professional Hockey Writers Association.

Ivan Demidov had quite a response during a 2024 NHL Scouting Combine interview when asked which player he most resembled.

"I think it's a combination of Kirill Kaprizov (Minnesota Wild) and Jack Hughes (New Jersey Devils)," Demidov told Montreal Canadiens management less than a month before the club selected him with the No. 5 pick in the 2024 NHL Draft.

Whether he reaches that elite level or not, we're about to find out. Demidov is expected to play in the top-six forward group and provid

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