Prospect Info: [2024 - 5th] Ivan Motherbleeping Demidov (RW), SKA St. Petersburg (MHL)

[Lafleurs Guy]

Can you blame them? We've had numerous attempts at this type of experiment across the years, including galchenyuk and drouin, it's never worked out

Galchenyuk should’ve been our top center almost from day one. Even with all his warts he was our best offensive forward. Instead we screwed him around. That’s not to say he didn’t have his own issues but we really screwed that up.

Drouin never, ever should’ve been at center.

The old regime is nothing like the new one. This team is committed to a direction and are executing on it. Completely different story here.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Laine - Dach - Slaf would be slow as molasses. Would rather switch Caufield and Demi...but then both of our scoring threats are on one line. What about flipping Suzuki and Dach.

Laine - Suzuki - Demidov
Slaf - Dach - Caufield

Laine-Suzuki-Demi
CC-Dach-Slaf

Dach isn't really slow either. He'll gain his step back. We've seen him have more jump lately.

CC would add strong 5v5 play to the second line and would be a major threat against secondary opposition, while Demi would compensate for the loss of CC's 200 foot game on the first line.

 

[Rapala]

I wouldn't be surprised if they paired Beck and Demidov together next year, actually. Beck is pretty underrated around here, and I think he could be a good compliment to Demidov. They both play a 2-way game as well. I guess this should go in the Beck thread.


I like you, Rapala.

If you read anything I post about Beck I think you'd realize I don't under rate the player and am probably one of the furthest from it on this board...

Beck's natural progression for me would probably have him starting on a fourth line and will end where ever he takes it.
Demidov right now is definitely top six material out of the gate.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

I wouldn't be surprised if they paired Beck and Demidov together next year, actually. Beck is pretty underrated around here, and I think he could be a good compliment to Demidov. They both play a 2-way game as well. I guess this should go in the Beck thread.


I like you, Rapala.

Beck is highly intriguing. His AHL play promises a strong tweener center, but he could end-up a true second line center, but Hage seems to have more the pedigree for 2C, but we'll see. I fully expect Beck to take over 3C as soon as next year.

 

[Goalfield13]

If you read anything I post about Beck I think you'd realize I don't under rate the player and am probably one of the furthest from it on this board...

Beck's natural progression for me would probably have him starting on a fourth line and will end where ever he takes it.
Demidov right now is definitely top six material out of the gate.

I wouldn't be surprised if they both start in a sheltered role to start the season. Suzuki, Dach and Evans will have their own lines, and then we can have a kids line for like the first 1/3 of the season.

 

[Colezuki]

Galchenyuk should’ve been our top center almost from day one. Even with all his warts he was our best offensive forward. Instead we screwed him around. That’s not to say he didn’t have his own issues but we really screwed that up.

Drouin never, ever should’ve been at center.

The old regime is nothing like the new one. This team is committed to a direction and are executing on it. Completely different story here.

To Clarify, I'm of the opinion of try everything once, but I can see where the view point comes from

 

[Goalfield13]

Beck is highly intriguing. His AHL play promises a strong tweener center, but he could end-up a true second line center, but Hage seems to have more the pedigree for 2C, but we'll see. I fully expect Beck to take over 3C as soon as next year.

The funny thing about Beck is that he has had the same role everywhere he has gone. He was a 1/2C in junior where he played all the hard minutes AND produced. Then he goes to the AHL, and he is playing the same damn role. I think pegging him as a bottom 6 player is not being fair to him. I can see him being a 50 point (with very little PP time) 2-way 2C, kinda like Danault. Guys like Beck never get the respect they deserve.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

The funny thing about Beck is that he has had the same role everywhere he has gone. He was a 1/2C in junior where he played all the hard minutes AND produced. Then he goes to the AHL, and he is playing the same damn role. I think pegging him as a bottom 6 player is not being fair to him. I can see him being a 50 point 2-way 2C, kinda like Danault. Guys like Beck never get the respect they deserve.

I said tweener (2-3C), not bottom 6.
Somewhat like Eller role-wise.

Similar role and production as Eller as rookie C in the AHL. Or could become a Danault.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

To Clarify, I'm of the opinion of try everything once, but I can see where the view point comes from

I know, they’re shell shocked. But that mgmt group were a bunch of clowns.

 

[Rapala]

I wouldn't be surprised if they both start in a sheltered role to start the season. Suzuki, Dach and Evans will have their own lines, and then we can have a kids line for like the first 1/3 of the season.

I thought the same thing about Lane Hutson who is playing D which is far harder to master than a wing in the NHL.

 

[Habs Halifax]

Galchenyuk should’ve been our top center almost from day one. Even with all his warts he was our best offensive forward. Instead we screwed him around. That’s not to say he didn’t have his own issues but we really screwed that up.

Drouin never, ever should’ve been at center.

The old regime is nothing like the new one. This team is committed to a direction and are executing on it. Completely different story here.

Neither Drouin or Galchenyuk were centers in the NHL. Galchenyuk did not have the hockey IQ to comprehend what a center is responsible for. Yeah, maybe our old management should have tried it from day 1 but it doesn't matter because we know he could not handle it. Don't give me the... yeah but if he was developed as one, he would be a center. That is just false. You either can do it or you can't.

With Demidov, hockey IQ is not in question so yeah, this is different than Galchenyuk. I'm sure they consider Demidov at center and will monitor if he can handle it. The evaluation comes well past the points though.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Neither Drouin or Galchenyuk were centers in the NHL. Galchenyuk did not have the hockey IQ to comprehend what a center is responsible for. Yeah, maybe our old management should have tried it from day 1 but it doesn't matter because we know he could not handle it. Don't give me the... yeah but if he was developed as one, he would be a center. That is just false. You either can do it or you can't.

This has been done to death and I don’t want to sidetrack the thread. So I’ll simply say the old regime didn’t know what it was doing and the new regime is miles better.

 

[Goalfield13]

I said tweener (2-3C), not bottom 6.
Somewhat like Eller role-wise.

Similar role and production as Eller as rookie C in the AHL. Or could become a Danault.

Sorry, man, didn't mean you.

 

[Habs Halifax]

I thought the same thing about Lane Hutson who is playing D which is far harder to master than a wing in the NHL.

I have to admit, Hutson is passing my expectations in terms of handling big min's as a rookie D. He does get pushed around a bit but he is holding his own and better than what I expected.

Imagine... a D pairing with Matheson and Hutson. Who would have thought?

 

[Goalfield13]

I thought the same thing about Lane Hutson who is playing D which is far harder to master than a wing in the NHL.

Not everyone can be Lane Hutson.

 

[Rapala]

Not everyone can be Lane Hutson.

I think many here would put Demidov in a higher tax bracket I do.

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

You either can do it or you can't.

This is entirely false and reductive.

Galchenyuk went ppg for a long period as a C (60 consecutive games), got injured and lost his bearings and confidence and that snowballed into him not learning the game anymore. Confidence is key in development and you could see his head wasn't at the right place after the injury and until he got traded.

The present development team would've done wonders to a 20 year old Chucky, even though his mental problems would still lie in wait. The team now has a full-time shrink to boot, so that might've turned out differently.

 

[Goalfield13]

I think many here would put Demidov in a higher tax bracket I do.

Maybe. He's coming over to a new country, though. Hutson has been playing on NA ice for a long time, and the NCAA is good competition on that ice. He MAY need some time for adjustment. I am just a very risk-averse person in general, so I always side with being careful.

 

[Redux91]

Maybe. He's coming over to a new country, though. Hutson has been playing on NA ice for a long time, and the NCAA is good competition on that ice. He MAY need some time for adjustment. I am just a very risk-averse person in general, so I always side with being careful.

SKA play on a.. ahhh nvm, you'll see lol

And KHL is much better than NCAA..

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Maybe. He's coming over to a new country, though. Hutson has been playing on NA ice for a long time, and the NCAA is good competition on that ice. He MAY need some time for adjustment. I am just a very risk-averse person in general, so I always side with being careful.

Demidov plays 3/4 of his KHL games on NHL sized rinks, unless you meant "NA ice" as the type of game instead of type of rink.

 

[Kennedys]

21st in KHL scoring with an average TOI of 11:31 (4th liner TOI). How is that even possible ?

 

[Goalfield13]

Demidov plays 3/4 of his KHL games on NHL sized rinks, unless you meant "NA ice" as the type of game instead of type of rink.

Ah, OK, then.

 

[WeThreeKings]

No one is dismissing Demidov at center, we are dismissing the notion that they'd put him there in his rookie season. He's going to come in and rightfully slot at the place he's been playing his entire professional career, which is on the wing.

Plus, you don't need to be the center to play like a center. The goal is to get someone in the vein of a ROR or a Couturier who can do the faceoffs and heavy defensive responsibilities, then let Demidov take the puck and do all of the offensive aspects that a center has.

 

[Goalfield13]

No one is dismissing Demidov at center, we are dismissing the notion that they'd put him there in his rookie season. He's going to come in and rightfully slot at the place he's been playing his entire professional career, which is on the wing.

Plus, you don't need to be the center to play like a center. The goal is to get someone in the vein of a ROR or a Couturier who can do the faceoffs and heavy defensive responsibilities, then let Demidov take the puck and do all of the offensive aspects that a center has.

People have stated that he played C a lot prior to the KHL. Is that not true?

 

[SannywithoutCompy]

Beck would be the perfect C between him and Laine at the pro level. He has the hockey IQ and skill to keep up with them, but will be the one tasked with carrying the line defensively.

I think that would be the play once Beck is ready.