Canadiens Star Played with a Fractured Ankle Before Being Shut Down

Ivan Demidov played two NHL games on a fractured ankle before the Montreal Canadiens placed him on injured reserve.

His agent, Dan Milstein, revealed the injury details during an appearance on DFO Insider with Jeff Marek and David Pagnotta.

Milstein said Demidov suffered the fractured ankle during the preseason.

Rather than report it immediately, the 20-year-old rookie forward tried to play through the pain.

He suited up for the first two games of the regular season.

Demidov recorded a goal and an assist in those two appearances.

After the second game, the pain became impossible to ignore.

Demidov did not go straight to the Canadiens medical staff.

He called his agent first.

Milstein told Marek and Pagnotta that Demidov said the ankle was bothering him during those opening games.

"Unfortunately, he had a fractured ankle in the preseason. And it was bothering him, but he continued playing for the (first) two games," Milstein said.

Milstein then brought the issue to the Canadiens.

The team ordered an MRI.

The scan revealed the full extent of the damage.

"We did an MRI… so, we realised two weeks later that he had an issue that needed medical attention," Milstein said.

The Canadiens moved Demidov to injured reserve after receiving the MRI results.

The team initially classified the injury as a lower-body issue and gave a recovery timeline of two to four weeks.

Demidov is now in the fourth week of that timeline.

He has not returned to practice.

He has been seen wearing a walking boot.

He was spotted skating alone away from the team, but has not joined full practice sessions.

The Canadiens have not issued an updated timeline for his return.

Milstein was careful not to give a firm date, but used the word "soon" when discussing Demidov's recovery.

"So, hopefully, Ivan will be back on the ice in a very short while and help the Montreal Canadiens start winning some games," Milstein said.

RDS reporter Patrick Friolet provided additional details on Demidov's recovery plan.

"The plan is for him to skate solo this week, respecting each step of his recovery. If all goes well, he could train with the team next week," Friolet posted on social media.

That timeline suggests Demidov remains at least two weeks away from returning to game action.

A fractured ankle is not a minor injury.

It is the kind of injury that typically sidelines a player immediately.

Demidov playing two NHL games on a fractured ankle is unusual by league standards.

Most players with a similar injury would not take the ice at all.

The Canadiens have been cautious with Demidov's recovery.

There is little benefit in rushing him back before the ankle is fully healed.

Getting Demidov back at 80 percent helps no one, as the team appears to be taking the long view.

Demidov entered the season as one of Montreal's most anticipated prospects.

The Canadiens selected him fifth overall in the 2024 NHL Draft.

He was expected to be a key piece of Montreal's rebuild.

His absence has been felt in the lineup.

The Canadiens have struggled to generate offense without him.

Demidov's injury revelation raises questions about how the team handled the situation.

The Canadiens never mentioned that Demidov was dealing with a fractured ankle.

They only referred to it as a lower-body injury.

Milstein's disclosure came before the team provided any update.

Less than a week before Milstein's interview, Sportsnet's Eric Engels reported that the Canadiens said Demidov was still "on his timeline."

That could suggest the team had a different internal timeline for his return than what was publicly shared.

The Canadiens could simply be taking extra precautions to avoid aggravating the injury.

But the fact that Demidov's agent provided such a significant update before the team is notable.

In the NHL, injury information is typically released by the team, not by an agent.

Milstein's decision to go public with the details is unusual.

It gives fans a clearer picture of what has been happening behind the scenes.

Demidov has not played since the second game of the season.

He has been out since early October.

The Canadiens are now in November without their top rookie.

Milstein's interview provided the first real clarity on why Demidov's recovery has taken longer than initially expected.

The two-to-four week timeline the team gave has passed.

Demidov is still not back.

The walking boot suggests the fracture required significant healing time.

Once Demidov is cleared to return, he will need to regain his conditioning.

He has not played a competitive game in over a month.

The Canadiens will likely ease him back into the lineup.

There is no reason to rush a 20-year-old with a fractured ankle.

The team has a long-term investment in Demidov's development.

Montreal fans have been eagerly waiting for his return.

Demidov showed flashes of his talent in those two games.

A goal and an assist in two games is a strong start for a rookie.

His ability to produce while playing through a fractured ankle is remarkable.

But it also raises concerns about the team's communication with players about injury reporting.

The NHL has protocols for injury reporting.

Teams are required to disclose injuries that affect a player's availability.

The Canadiens complied with those protocols by listing Demidov with a lower-body injury.

But they did not disclose the severity.

That is not unusual in the NHL.

Teams often use vague language to describe injuries.

The practice is common across the league.

But when an agent reveals a fractured ankle, it shifts the narrative.

Fans now know the full story.

Demidov tried to play through a broken bone.

He did not tell the team.

He told his agent.

Milstein then brought it to the Canadiens.

The team ordered an MRI.

Two weeks passed before the full diagnosis was made.

That timeline is a significant detail.

Demidov played two games with a fractured ankle.

He could have made the injury worse by continuing to play.

The Canadiens medical staff did not have the information to stop him.

Because Demidov did not report the injury immediately.

That is a lesson for young players.

Playing through pain is often celebrated in hockey culture.

But a fractured ankle is not something to push through.

Demidov's willingness to play through it shows his commitment.

It also shows his inexperience.

Veteran players might have handled the situation differently.

Demidov wanted to stay in the lineup.

He wanted to prove he belonged in the NHL.

He did prove it, scoring in his first two games.

But the cost was a longer recovery.

The Canadiens are now managing the aftermath.

They have not commented on Milstein's disclosure.

The team has not issued a statement about the injury details.

Milstein's interview stands as the only official account of what happened.

That is unusual in a league where teams control the narrative.

The Canadiens have a history of being tight-lipped about injuries.