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

[Rapala]

Hopefully Demidov likes pressure, when I pop in the thread and have people already calling him generational...sheeeeeesh

I watched his stick handling drill only yesterday.
He has a whole heck of a lot of work to put in to reach Kovalev's level of puck manipulation.

 

[Tyson]

I don't think he's generational though. Nor do I agree that the Rocket was or Lafleur was. Franchise talents but generational is a very very high bar.

The only generational players I have ever seen were Bobby Orr, Wayne Gretzky, Mario Lemieux, Sidney Crosby and Connor McDavid. Some players deserve honorable mention but imo the 5 I listed were the only true generational players.

Guys like Howe, Beliveau, Rocket, Lafleur, Jagr were franchise players, there are more of course.

 

[crosbyshow]

Another discussion about generational players a.k.a the players i like versus the players i don't like.

I've seen people argue Ovy is not generational ...

Nothing to do i of which I like and which I don't like.

It is very universal in the hockey world that Howe, Lemieux Gretzky ,.Orr are generational...in fact it is not even an opinion anymore.

You add Crosby and Mcdavid in the.mix and the hockey world.are agree. The one in fact that there is still a debate is Ovechkin.

In my personal view ..he is maybe not cause he is just a scorer...but a hell of a scorer so I am on thin line with him.

 

[LaP]

I don't think he's generational though. Nor do I agree that the Rocket was or Lafleur was. Franchise talents but generational is a very very high bar.

There's no bar to it. It basically should means a player who defined a generation. When you think of the 80ies NHL who do you think of? That's what a generational player should be. The few players who shaped a generation of hockey players. Lemieux, Gretzky, Roy, (X) .... Crosby, Ovy ... (Millenials/Y) Like alternative music is generationally tied and influenced the x generation. The NHL spanned thru 7 generations so there should be around 10 to maybe 20 generational players something like that.

For some fans it sadly means the best player i like so for example Ovy is not generaitonal depsite being probably the best goal scorer of all time because i don't like him. And Roy is not generational because i believe goalie should not be generational despite the fact Roy along with his coach changed the way goalies would play. I think there was one article a week about the opposing team having finally found Roy's weakness. That was laughable.

 

[LaP]

Nothing to do i of which I like and which I don't like.

It is very universal in the hockey world that Howe, Lemieux Gretzky ,.Orr are generational...in fact it is not even an opinion anymore.

You add Crosby and Mcdavid in the.mix and the hockey world.are agree. The one in fact that there is still a debate is Ovechkin.

In my personal view ..he is maybe not cause he is just a scorer...but a hell of a scorer so I am on thin line with him.

There should not be any debate about Ovy. There's a good chance he ends up the best goal scorer of al time. He missed the playoffs only 4 times in 19 years (two of them in his first two seasons) and some of the lineup he played with were really not very good with hindsight. He made lot of players look way better than they really were like Mike Green, Semin, Chris Clark, ...

 

[Naslundforever]

I watched his stick handling drill only yesterday.
He has a whole heck of a lot of work to put in to reach Kovalev's level of puck manipulation.

same! lots of rapid flapping of the stick making noise for show; Kovalev has wrists and forearms like I have never seen, puck whizzing through and around with every push/pull.

10-15 years of Kovy tapes an drills to go!

 

[Rapala]

I don't think he's generational though. Nor do I agree that the Rocket was or Lafleur was. Franchise talents but generational is a very very high bar.

Would you actually think the same way if you lived in their generation without any knowledge of future events?
When trying to make out if a player is generational you can only measure them against the players of that generation.
Every generation has generational players regardless of the heights they may or may not have hit hence the name.
Both Howe and Richard were indeed generational using those parameters.

 

[crosbyshow]

same! lots of rapid flapping of the stick making noise for show; Kovalev has wrists and forearms like I have never seen, puck whizzing through and around with every push/pull.

10-15 years of Kovy tapes an drills to go!

Kovalev was a beast physically in person.

It is strange cause with his equipment on..he was looking average size...but jeez...

I worked for the organization at the time and he was a monster..legs, arms, hands, shoulders.

...and what a charisma and presence .he had....difficult to explain

You put that dude in a room of 50 people even if people dont know him at all..I bet that everybody will only.looking at him...men and women.

Those.who met him would.agree I guess

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

Based on the many years you watched him play? I saw Gordie Howe play many times. His standing in hockey history is well deserved.

I watched Howe play. Good player but with the talent he played with he should have won more.

 

[salbutera]

I watched Howe play. Good player but with the talent he played with he should have won more.

So should’ve Price but it takes a team and the Habs had a stacked lineup not just the Rocket.

There is no Orr, Makar without Harvey

 

[Wats]

Really hope he becomes a pt/game guy who's well rounded and works hard/high motor. I'd love to have prime Radulov level effort/skill combination. That was such a treat to watch and would be amazing to add.

 

[le_sean]

I’m not that old, but when watching old clips, Bobby Hull seemed generational. Just skating circles around everyone.

 

[Montrealcowboys]

You got that backwards

Not according to the scouts at THN which surveyed all the teams. Michkov was the #1 rated prospect and only 2 i've heard say Demidov was better (Button and noted hater and scout when Leblanc was picked McCagg).

Demidov 6ft0.5

Michkov 5ft10


Hughes is a genius.

Connor Bedard 5'10" Michkov outplayed he and Wright in the last international tournament.

 

[Montrealcowboys]

The fact something so insignificant can bother you so much only makes me want to say it more lol

The team is run by both Hughes and Gorton.
HuGo ain't going anywhere

They better worry about just getting past Buffalo and Ottawa and out of the basement.

 

[Sterling Archer]

You can make a case that Price was a Generational talent for goaltenders.

It’s not an argument. He was top 3-5 All time which is saying a lot for Canadiens and their history.

 

[tazsub3]

Generational players:

Howe
Orr
Gretzky
Lemieux
Lindros
Crosby
Mcdavid


Lindros career was not Generational because of his concussions at early age but Lindros between 16 and 24 years old was a generational talent and physique

I would not put Ovy as generational...he is a generational scorer but unlike the list above..all those players made players around them better as well.

Then you have Malkin, draisaitl and most ovy … are they ? Are they not . I can’t decide but I think demidov if he peaks and develops to the max would be in their range .

 

[Rapala]

Not according to the scouts at THN which surveyed all the teams. Michkov was the #1 rated prospect and only 2 i've heard say Demidov was better (Button and noted hater and scout when Leblanc was picked McCagg).


Connor Bedard 5'10" Michkov outplayed he and Wright in the last international tournament.

Which was what U18?
Was Slaf even on the same prospect page as those guys back then because he sure is now.
There is a ton of developmental water that has gone under the bridge since then...


How did they match up in PeeWee?

 

[junyab]

Geez guys. I've raised 3 goalies and Price (also Roy) is my favourite goalie - he is NOT a generational goalie or player.

 

[Boss Man Hughes]

So should’ve Price but it takes a team and the Habs had a stacked lineup not just the Rocket.

There is no Orr, Makar without Harvey

Detroit had a far better team than Price ever played for.

 

[LaP]

Which was what U18?
Was Slaf even on the same prospect page as those guys back then because he sure is now.
There is a ton of developmental water that has gone under the bridge since then...


How did they match up in PeeWee?

Hlinka. Demidov was a year younger. I think skill wise there's no denying Michkov is more skilled. But i've been watching hockey since the mid 80ies and one of the most skilled player to wear a CH uniform was Vladimir Malakhov. Skills is not everything. I think most people would tell you Demidov is the more complete player of the two.

Slafkovski was in the same Hlinka tournament if i remember correctly and did very well. He was older though and not as good as Michkov and about the same as Demidov despite being much older. Slafkovski being drafted 1st overall was almost solely on his wc tournament where he was MILES better than NHL players like Josh Anderson. I rember watching that game Slovakia against Canada and Slafkovski looked like a tier or two above Josh Anderson he made him look like a AHL player.

 

[Justin11]

It needed to be calmed down before the G word got used imo. I’m all for excitement but people are acting like the Habs just drafted a McDavid. He’s an awesome prospect but there’s still a long road ahead. He went 5th overall for a reason. A lot still has to go right, nothing is guaranteed with him.

It goes to show how desperate we Habs fans are for a game breaking talent.

It’s been far too long.

I agree that everyone should temper their expectations.

 

[Kennerback]

Hlinka. Demidov was a year younger. I think skill wise there's no denying Michkov is more skilled. But i've been watching hockey since the mid 80ies and one of the most skilled player to wear a CH uniform was Vladimir Malakhov. Skills is not everything. I think most people would tell you Demidov is the more complete player of the two.

Slafkovski was in the same Hlinka tournament if i remember correctly and did very well. He was older though and not as good as Michkov and about the same as Demidov despite being much older. Slafkovski being drafted 1st overall was almost solely on his wc tournament where he was MILES better than NHL players like Josh Anderson. I rember watching that game Slovakia against Canada and Slafkovski looked like a tier or two above Josh Anderson he made him look like a AHL player.

I deny Michkov is more skilled. Michkov is the better shooter and goal-scorer. But it ends there.

 

[HuGo boss]

The fact something so insignificant can bother you so much only makes me want to say it more lol

The team is run by both Hughes and Gorton.
HuGo ain't going anywhere

Lol I was going to say because something so small bothers them they will fit in perfectly

 

[JoelWarlord]

He’s an awesome prospect but there’s still a long road ahead.

He's of course not a generational McDavid level talent but this is an overcorrection imo. Demidov isn't a "normal" prospect who's going to need another year in Russia, 2 years in the AHL, and then have to work his way up from the third line. If it weren't for the KHL contract he'd be on our opening night roster this October.

Slafkovsky, Kotkaniemi, Galchenyuk, and even guys like Mete/De la Rose were able to make NHL impacts at 18/19. Demidov is significantly more talented than all of them and he'll debut at 19. We don't need to worry about if his game can translate as if he's Joshua Roy or Sean Farrell.

I agree that everyone should temper their expectations.

Honestly no they shouldn't unless they expect him to be McDavid or something. It's OK to be excited about drafting him and there's not really a compelling reason to downplay how good he is. He's going to be in the top six on our opening night roster in 2025 and will never look back.

 

[Rob Sense]

Mtl never had a generational player..never.

Lafleur was an elite player but not generational. Lafleur was an average player past 29 years old.

Look the stats of Lemieux and Wayne past their prime...Lafleur in not on that level at all..

Look at Crosby..what he does at 36.

You are righe about Lindros.. Lindros was a generational prospect and he had an awesome start of his career but not long enough.

this board obviously has a generational irritant.