With the fifth pick of the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, the Montreal Canadiens have selected Ivan Demidov from SKA-1946 St. Petersburg of the Junior Hockey League (MHL)
About Ivan Demidov
Behind Macklin Celebrini, there’s a good argument that winger Ivan Demidov is the next-best talent in the 2024 NHL Draft. He is an effortlessly gifted offensive player who oozes with skill. For starters, his offensive IQ is off the charts. His creativity, skating, and world-class hands helped him create scoring chances frequently in the MHL. While he has yet to shine in a stronger league such as the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), it likely won’t be long before he does.
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Scoring 23 goals and 37 assists for 60 points in 30 games, Demidov holds the all-time record for the most points per game (2.00) among age-18 MHL players, most notably ahead of Nikita Kucherov who had 1.87. Without a doubt, he seems to be ready for the KHL and beyond for his 2024-25 campaign. If he can continue to dominate against tougher competition, he might just be a future superstar in the making.
THW Prospect Profile Excerpt
“What makes Demidov so dangerous on offence is his patience. By now, most teams know that when he gets the puck, it’s likely ending up in the back of the net, so he frequently is pressured more than his teammates. However, that’s just fine by him, as he will wait for opponents to corner him, drawing in the double- or triple-team, and then quickly passes the puck to an open teammate or, if none are ready, uses a quick change of direction to create a wide-open space for an excellent scoring chance. No space is too small for the crafty Russian, and he has the agility and speed to take advantage of most openings.
“Demidov’s patience is evident in his shot, too. He doesn’t have the most powerful release of his draft class, but it’s incredibly accurate. He waits until the goalie is in a position he can’t easily recover from, then fires off a quick, accurate shot into the opening. In the clip below, he waits until he has the perfect angle to split the puck above the goalie’s pads and just inside the post. That’s an impossibly tight angle for mist, yet Demidov makes it look effortless.
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“While he isn’t as complete of a player as Celebrini or Konsta Helenius, Demidov still has a decent two-way game that’s especially noticeable in the MHL. He’s great at watching the opponent’s play develop and can exploit weaknesses and errors with an active stick and a quick direction change. He’s also always moving, using his edges and momentum to ensure he’s in a good position to take advantage of those mistakes or catch a pass when the puck changes possession. He’s incredibly smart and competitive and will do anything to return the puck to his team.
Full player profile can be found here.
How This Affects the Canadiens’ Plans
The Canadiens got a steal with the fifth pick in the draft. An incredibly skilled player, Demidov should help their offense take that next step. He gives Montreal an extra level of skill to combine with Juraj Slafkovsky’s excellence. With two potential superstars along with players like Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield on offense, Montreal is one step closer to completing their rebuild. They have great young pieces throughout their prospect pool and on their roster, which makes them an exciting team to watch moving forward.
Demidov could play on a line with Slafkovsky in the future, or perhaps be separated to give them a two-line duo assuming the former develops. Whatever they do, the Canadiens are now in a really promising spot moving forward. Now, all there’s left to do is watch their youngsters grow. With Lane Hutson and David Reinbacher on defense, this is certainly a team to look out for in the future.
