Celine Dion is one of Canada’s foremost icons. She’s also a Montreal Canadiens superfan and to the light chagrin of The Leafs Nation staff and others across the Greater Toronto Area, she announced her favourite team’s first-round pick at the 2024 NHL Draft.
Dion stole the show during the opening round of the draft as The Sphere rose a few decibels as she strode to the podium. Montreal selected Ivan Demidov with the No. 5 pick and Dion was all too happy to keep the suspense alive for as long as possible.
Here’s some behind-the-scenes video, as captured from the floor by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman.
Amateur video of Celine Dion arriving to select Ivan Demidov for the Montreal Canadiens
Pretty wild stuff pic.twitter.com/tBfsCtstP6
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) June 28, 2024
And here’s the video of Dion making the selection to much fanfare. Our hearts will go on!
ICONIQUE ✨#GoHabsGo | #RepêchageLNH | #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/NTHOxwRDaA
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) June 28, 2024
What a cool moment for Ivan Demidov. We begun this blog in the spirit of hating but it’s the biggest night of an 18-year-old’s career to date and Demidov is a gamebreaking talent who will continue to accelerate Montreal’s youth movement. Maybe it’s time to think twice.
Le bleu-blanc-rouge lui va à merveille 🤩
Looking good in his new threads! (also: mood)#GoHabsGo | #RepêchageLNH | #NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/gZW8hqKZKV
— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) June 29, 2024
Dion’s appearance is a significant upgrade over Montreal’s past blunders. Canadiens fans were furious when the team selected David Reinbacher with the No. 5 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. Carey Price was slated to announce the pick but there was just one problem: he forgot who the pick was! Dion was more than prepared and Demidov received the moment he likely dreamed of, and then some.
The internationally-recognized Canadian pop star brought her sons to a Canadiens game against the Vegas Golden Knights last season and still regularly keeps up with the team.
I can read your mind
And I know your story
I see what you’re going through, yeah
It’s an uphill climb
And I’m feeling sorry
But I know it will come to you, yeah
Now we’re just belting out the tunes with Celine. A begrudging congratulations to the Montreal Canadiens and Celine Dion for stealing the opening hour of the NHL Draft.
