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

[Habs Halifax]

Does anyone ever think about how perfect the whole draft thing played out for us? Why would other teams pass on potentially getting the best player of the draft? Then we have one of the biggest pop stars of the last 25 years come up on stage and announce his name. It seems a little too perfect to be considered coincidental.

Demidov and Hage turned our forward pool around. It was impressive on how that played out in our favor. I think we got two gems

 

[Kennerback]

Chicago took a potential number 1 RHD with size, which is a rare thing.

Anaheim took a player who has tremendous skill himself and he'd a big boi.

Columbus took a big boi, goal scoring centre with size.

If a team took Iginla before him, or pretty much anyone drafted after Demidov before Demidov I could see it, but not really here.

Devils advocate. There’s an inherent risk in drafting a D at 2OA if it’s not a sure fire superstar. Sennecke came from far down and peaked at the right time. A bit of a mystery. I don’t want to criticize Lidstrom too much because a big C PF is a rare find, but to leave elite skill like Demidov on the table there is not my cup of tea.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

Does anyone ever think about how perfect the whole draft thing played out for us? Why would other teams pass on potentially getting the best player of the draft? Then we have one of the biggest pop stars of the last 25 years come up on stage and announce his name. It seems a little too perfect to be considered coincidental.

It wasn’t a coincidence

I’m praying, literally waking up every morning and praying, that he falls to 5

 

[HabbyGuy]

It wasn’t a coincidence

 

[OldCraig71]

Chicago took a potential number 1 RHD with size, which is a rare thing.

Anaheim took a player who has tremendous skill himself and he'd a big boi.

Columbus took a big boi, goal scoring centre with size.

If a team took Iginla before him, or pretty much anyone drafted after Demidov before Demidov I could see it, but not really here.

I wouldn't pass on a player that could potentially be a 100-point player for a defenseman but that's just me. It just seems to have worked out perfectly and life isn't usually that way.

Demidov and Hage turned our forward pool around. It was impressive on how that played out in our favor. I think we got two gems

We may have just drafted two star players in one round, seems weird for the Habs to have such good fortune.

 

[OldCraig71]

So you're saying that bad man "Bergevin" can no longer hurt me?

He's in a far away western place helping to sink another franchise, we don't have to worry about him anymore. One time I posted that Bergevin would outlive all of us lol.

 

[Redux91]

It wasn’t a coincidence

The stars lined up that night my friends,
I'll never forget that one lol

 

[Sasha Orlov]

The stars lined up that night my friends,
I'll never forget that one lol

 

[Lazytrout]

Getting the 5th pick was already a mini miracle to begin with, with how close the habs were to a handful of teams above them and it took Arizona (for the 3rd time) leapfrogging us at the last minute to secure the spot. Even at that point nobody believed we'd actually have a shot at drafting Demidov, to say everything perfectly fell into place is almost an understatement.

 

[Mrb1p]

I've had it with the offseason, we need to see this kid on the ice.

 

[Doc5]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1819308789297721776

“"Of course, it's much competition, but also much experience," he said. "I'm watching them closely and trying to adopt their best qualities."”

To those worried about how Kuznetsov and others would be a bad influence on Demidov, I wouldn’t worry. Kid has a really good head on his shoulders it seems like.

 

[le_sean]

Getting the 5th pick was already a mini miracle to begin with, with how close the habs were to a handful of teams above them and it took Arizona (for the 3rd time) leapfrogging us at the last minute to secure the spot. Even at that point nobody believed we'd actually have a shot at drafting Demidov, to say everything perfectly fell into place is almost an understatement.

I wonder how far he would have dropped. Like if Utah selected ahead of us, do they still take Iginla? And the Sens, do they still pick the RD? We might have got him as low as 7th assuming no one traded up.

 

[Nico Cauzuki]

I wonder how far he would have dropped. Like if Utah selected ahead of us, do they still take Iginla? And the Sens, do they still pick the RD? We might have got him as low as 7th assuming no one traded up.

i doubt it Armstrong took 2 russians last year with high picks so hes obviously not scared of the russian factor and i love Iginla but hes nowhere near Demidov in potentiel

 

[Lazytrout]

I wonder how far he would have dropped. Like if Utah selected ahead of us, do they still take Iginla? And the Sens, do they still pick the RD? We might have got him as low as 7th assuming no one traded up.

I find it hard to imagine Demidov dropping past 5 in any case

 

[Kshahdoo]

 

[salbutera]

Does anyone ever think about how perfectly the whole draft thing played out for us? Why would other teams pass on potentially getting the best player of the draft? Then we have one of the biggest pop stars of the last 25 years come up on stage and announce his name. It seems a little too perfect to be considered coincidental.

Because the dirty little secret is ALL teams do prioritize “drafting for need” as part of roster construction or philosophy unless there’s a clear cut Crosby / McDavid type generational talent available

- Hawks “needed” a potential top pairing RDman

- Ana “needed” top-6 big body presence which is part of Verbeek’s roster construction philosophy

- CBJ “needed” a top line C

Demigod wasn’t a “need” for any of the teams picking in top-4

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

View attachment 898907

Our boy is looking pretty bulky and strong, he's definitely taking his training seriously.

 

[Redux91]

View attachment 898907

See how he doesn't want to fully commit to the team embrace!
Already one foot out the door baby lol

 

[OldCraig71]

Because the dirty little secret is ALL teams do prioritize “drafting for need” as part of roster construction or philosophy unless there’s a clear cut Crosby / McDavid type generational talent available

- Hawks “needed” a potential top pairing RDman

- Ana “needed” top-6 big body presence which is part of Verbeek’s roster construction philosophy

- CBJ “needed” a top line C

Demigod wasn’t a “need” for any of the teams picking in top-4

The Hawks are so early in their rebuild that it would have been wise to draft a potential superstar no?

 

[Redux91]

Because the dirty little secret is ALL teams do prioritize “drafting for need” as part of roster construction or philosophy unless there’s a clear cut Crosby / McDavid type generational talent available

- Hawks “needed” a potential top pairing RDman

- Ana “needed” top-6 big body presence which is part of Verbeek’s roster construction philosophy

- CBJ “needed” a top line C

Demigod wasn’t a “need” for any of the teams picking in top-4

Finally somebody says it lol

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Nice, I have something else in common with Slafkovsky. Besides being good looking

I look just like him. Except I’m shorter, fatter, 30 years older… other than that we’re twins.

Yesterday I was walking down the street and some guy asked if I was Juraj Slafkovsky. Happens all the time.

 

[Habs10Habs]

I look just like him. Except I’m shorter, fatter, 30 years older…

Lol me too. We'll keep that as our secret though

 

[Gustave]

The Hawks are so early in their rebuild that it would have been wise to draft a potential superstar no?

It’s normal to grab D’s early in the process because they take way longer to progress. You want to build from the back first and then grab the F’s to coordinate the maturity levels of all positions.

 

[Kshahdoo]

See how he doesn't want to fully commit to the team embrace!
Already one foot out the door baby lol

But he embraces the head coach...

 

[Redux91]

But he embraces the head coach...

That's just so he doesn't get flayed!
Don't you know how things work over there!