F Ivan Demidov - SKA-1946 St.Petersburg, MHL (2024 draft)

[Buttonwood]

It's pretty interesting that the MHL will have a top 5 pick this year to go along with Simashev/But last season as top 12 picks. Along with Gurianov those are the highest picks from that league, unless I'm missing someone. All probably worthy picks but not the time you would expect that league to trend up. The development path from MHL to VHL/KHL to North America seems long and difficult to control from NHL team perspective.

Still wild Kucherov and Panarin went overlooked in that league, but that was an era or 2 ago at this point.

 

[belfour30]

When you have strapping Levshunov falling in your lap, drafting small and soft russian Demidov from the MHL is ridiculous. Chicago understands it and should sanctiion the hell out of him, no question.

Demidov is small and soft? Then where are the Datsyuk comparisons coming from?

 

[coooldude]

Demidov is small and soft? Then where are the Datsyuk comparisons coming from?

Demidov isn't big and he doesn't play soft. Datsyuk is a bridge too far for me. Half his weight was below the waist in tree trunk legs and he was a two way monster and incredibly deceptive and shifty. He played like nobody else. Demidov from my amateur watching is less unique, incredibly skilled, heavily reliant on his inside edges and mohawks, has a deceptive shot but nowhere near the level of Datsyuk. Nobody has played like Datsyuk before him or after him. I just think we can love Demidov without declaring such high praise.

 

[belfour30]

Demidov isn't big and he doesn't play soft. Datsyuk is a bridge too far for me. Half his weight was below the waist in tree trunk legs and he was a two way monster and incredibly deceptive and shifty. He played like nobody else. Demidov from my amateur watching is less unique, incredibly skilled, heavily reliant on his inside edges and mohawks, has a deceptive shot but nowhere near the level of Datsyuk. Nobody has played like Datsyuk before him or after him. I just think we can love Demidov without declaring such high praise.

I agree, but I am seeing scouting publications putting Datsyuk in there and I can't just dismiss that. Someone said he has better hands than Patrick Kane(!!!)

 

[coooldude]

I agree, but I am seeing scouting publications putting Datsyuk in there and I can't just dismiss that. Someone said he has better hands than Patrick Kane(!!!)

Tis the season of hyperbole.

 

[Beukeboom Fan]

Demidov isn't big and he doesn't play soft. Datsyuk is a bridge too far for me. Half his weight was below the waist in tree trunk legs and he was a two way monster and incredibly deceptive and shifty. He played like nobody else. Demidov from my amateur watching is less unique, incredibly skilled, heavily reliant on his inside edges and mohawks, has a deceptive shot but nowhere near the level of Datsyuk. Nobody has played like Datsyuk before him or after him. I just think we can love Demidov without declaring such high praise.

Agree 100% on your description of Datsyuk. But it should be noted that your description of Datsyuk was what he developed into almost 5-6 years after being drafted.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

" THE USELESS"

New York Rangers top6:
Kreider 6'3"
Zibanejad 6'1"
Roslovic 6'1"
Panarin 5'11" (like Demidov)
Trocheck 5'11" (like Demidov)
Lafreniere 5'11" (like Demidov)

Great story, but this isn’t true.

NHL.com has Zibanejad at 6’2, Lafreniere at 6’1, Roslovic at 6’1, and Panarin at 6’0, so you got 2/3 of it wrong.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

“The Hawks are small upfront with the group they’re building” is a real thing, but Nazar and whoever else isn’t dissuading you from taking Demidov at 2. Nazar didn’t even have a good season after missing most of the prior one with an unfortunate injury. I wouldn’t bank on him for much just because he did well in an NHL game or two at the end of the season. Still to be seen too about players like Reichel and Moore.

Hawks will have tons of draft capital and they’ll get to pick and choose which ones fit and don’t. They shouldn’t get attached to these mid/late firsts. Not all of them will work out. If Demidov is the player they think is the best overall at that point, you don’t give a second of thought to who they have in their system.

Saying that, they should start targeting some bigger players at some point. Doesn’t mean it has to start right away, but soon.

 

[ello]

“The Hawks are small upfront with the group they’re building” is a real thing, but Nazar and whoever else isn’t dissuading you from taking Demidov at 2. Nazar didn’t even have a good season after missing most of the prior one with an unfortunate injury. I wouldn’t bank on him for much just because he did well in an NHL game or two at the end of the season. Still to be seen too about players like Reichel and Moore.

Hawks will have tons of draft capital and they’ll get to pick and choose which ones fit and don’t. They shouldn’t get attached to these mid/late firsts. Not all of them will work out. If Demidov is the player they think is the best overall at that point, you don’t give a second of thought to who they have in their system.

Saying that, they should start targeting some bigger players at some point. Doesn’t mean it has to start right away, but soon.

As a Hawks fan this is pretty much exactly how I think we should be approaching the draft. Nice analysis

 

[Junohockeyfan]

Has anyone actually seen Demidov play?

 

[Kshahdoo]

Has anyone actually seen Demidov play?

I've watched a few dozens of his games, so it's probably yes.

 

[Junohockeyfan]

I've watched a few dozens of his games, so it's probably yes.

And given that his league is the Russian junior league, how does his game translate to the NHL? Can he play next season? Is he ready?

 

[forever1922]

Has anyone actually seen Demidov play?

https://youtube.com/@mhl_rus

You can watch him on tape in the playoffs right here. Easiest prospect to have access to video this season, why wouldn't people watch him?

Put it this way, Lokomotiv dressed Simashev and But, het lost in the final game that Demidov missed. You can say his regular season numbers are irrelevant, sure. But his play in the playoffs against Lokomotiv isn't. Are those the same? No they're not, he had to make adjustments but he used his strengths and competet just like he always does. He is pretty legit.

 

[Kshahdoo]

And given that his league is the Russian junior league, how does his game translate to the NHL? Can he play next season? Is he ready?

First, his playoffs run was hardly against just MHL players because SKA opponents got a lot of help from VHL and even KHL. Second, he outscored significantly all the KHLers sent down for the playoffs. Third, I'm pretty sure he'll play next season in the KHL, on SKA or a loan, but in the KHL so you'll see how good he is in a good professional league.

But I'm sure he's going to be NHL ready in a season when he comes to NA.

 

[DemiGod]

No, he is not going to be loaned because he is in the last year of his contract. I don't know what they're going to do with it next year, but it is clear that he wants to go to NA.

 

[Kshahdoo]

No, he is not going to be loaned because he is in the last year of his contract. I don't know what they're going to do with it next year, but it is clear that he wants to go to NA.

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But he can legally demand a trade then, and SKA will be hard to explain it to public why they don't allow him to play in the KHL but don't wanna trade him. That can be the base for the contract termination actually. Or at the very least a very bad publicity, and SKA is already not the most likable club in the KHL.