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

BaseballCoach

Registered User
Dec 15, 2006
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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?
Imagine having both on the same team.
Imagine havinbg four top-4 Ds.
Hope that's not too many.

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.
The way Lemaire freed Lafleur to be a pure offensive juggernaut.
 

GlassesJacketShirt

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Aug 4, 2010
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Don't understand how they can see Hutson kill the NCAA and let his brother fall too.

Both Hutson brothers are small and not super fast in a straight line, though Cole seems faster at the same age.

Most teams still put a lot of weight on a player's downside, hence why someone like Charlie Stramel will always be at a premium at the draft despite showing little upside compared to peers.
 
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SOLR

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Jun 4, 2006
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What would you do with Dach? I see Beck replacing Dvorak. More of an upgrade

To imagine Beck in the top 6 before 26-27 years old is so off the mark I can't even find a superlative adjective to describe the level of delusion. Unless we are tanking again....not. Beck is a bottom line player young. His offensive potential will come out later like Evans.

We need an upgrade on Dach, someone who can play 70 games regularly, someone who is a 60-70 points player. I'm ready to give Dach another season start. But if he's not on pace for 70 pts in Jan 2026, trade.
 

26Mats

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Jun 23, 2018
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To imagine Beck in the top 6 before 26-27 years old is so off the mark I can't even find a superlative adjective to describe the level of delusion. Unless we are tanking again....not. Beck is a bottom line player young. His offensive potential will come out later like Evans.

We need an upgrade on Dach, someone who can play 70 games regularly, someone who is a 60-70 points player. I'm ready to give Dach another season start. But if he's not on pace for 70 pts in Jan 2026, trade.

It's hard to predict when a player will break out offensively, if ever, let alone to definitively say at what age they will.
 

Favster

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Jul 21, 2013
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To imagine Beck in the top 6 before 26-27 years old is so off the mark I can't even find a superlative adjective to describe the level of delusion. Unless we are tanking again....not. Beck is a bottom line player young. His offensive potential will come out later like Evans.

We need an upgrade on Dach, someone who can play 70 games regularly, someone who is a 60-70 points player. I'm ready to give Dach another season start. But if he's not on pace for 70 pts in Jan 2026, trade.
Hopefully Hage can become that
 

LaP

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Jun 27, 2012
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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?
Not me. But Matheson has been playing well on the right side so far.
 

ChesterNimitz

governed by the principle of calculated risk
Jul 4, 2002
6,055
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To imagine Beck in the top 6 before 26-27 years old is so off the mark I can't even find a superlative adjective to describe the level of delusion. Unless we are tanking again....not. Beck is a bottom line player young. His offensive potential will come out later like Evans.
I don't think there is an equivalency between these two players. Beck is a much more dynamic skater than Evans and his shot is already far better than Evans'. While he might not be a top 6 player in the NHL right now, to view him as a mere bottom line young player is to woefully underrate Beck's current and immediately future offensive potential. At 20, Beck is already playing center on a first power play unit on an AHL team.
 

SOLR

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Jun 4, 2006
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I don't think there is an equivalency between these two players. Beck is a much more dynamic skater than Evans and his shot is already far better than Evans'. While he might not be a top 6 player in the NHL right now, to view him as a mere bottom line young player is to woefully underrate Beck's current and immediately future offensive potential. At 20, Beck is already playing center on a first power play unit on an AHL team.

That doesn't mean the offence scales to the NHL.

Hopefully Hage can become that

I don't think he will fast enough, he's 3 years away.
 

Lafleurs Guy

Guuuuuuuy!
Jul 20, 2007
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I think we may be a bit guilty of overblowing Matheson's defensive flaws. Yeah, he's not a stud shutdown guy but he's not as terrible as some are pretending it to be. Very curious to see how long this Matheson/Hutson pairing lasts.
No, he was really, really bad. I’m glad he’s simplifying his game and cut down on the errors but he was well deserving of that criticism when it was happening.
 
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Apfel Struble

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Aug 1, 2019
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I get people wanting to try Demidov at C, hell I'm one of them. This guy will be a franchise player no matter where he's put, like Fedorov before. I'm sure he could be a franchise dman within 2 years too lol, he's the kind of player who would pan out anyway

I'm still pretty sure he's gonna be a winger though
 

SOLR

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Jun 4, 2006
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It's hard to predict when a player will break out offensively, if ever, let alone to definitively say at what age they will.

Indeed for sure. But that doesn't make a difference in our decisions short term. Beck will be at best a 3rd line center in the next 3 years for a contending team. He might push for 2nd C in the 3rd year and that's good to have.
 
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Habs Halifax

Loyal Habs Fan
Jul 11, 2016
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No, he was really, really bad. I’m glad he’s simplifying his game and cut down on the errors but he was well deserving of that criticism when it was happening.

Is it his fault he was getting very high usage when he should have been in a secondary spot like he is now? I have faith in guys like Matheson who work very hard at improving. We have to take time to notice it because it's kind of deflating for Matheson to improve but then still have a fair amount of Habs fans on his back all the time waiting for his next mistake.
 

Habs Halifax

Loyal Habs Fan
Jul 11, 2016
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Don't understand how they can see Hutson kill the NCAA and let his brother fall too.

Timing is everything. It's likely due to some who were expecting Hutson to struggle once he turns pro (size challenge). His Brother was drafted with Hutson only playing 2 NHL games. Even then, some probably thought it was early and he would still struggle in a full season.

I think if his brother was in this next draft, he would go much higher.
 
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Kosseca

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Feb 23, 2020
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I get people wanting to try Demidov at C, hell I'm one of them. This guy will be a franchise player no matter where he's put, like Fedorov before. I'm sure he could be a franchise dman within 2 years too lol, he's the kind of player who would pan out anyway

I'm still pretty sure he's gonna be a winger though
You dont need to be a C to be a playmaker. Being a C or a W is more a defensive assignment then an offensive one. There are plenty of super star W playmaker. I wouldn't want to do the Drouin at C experient all over again with him. If he's ok on the W, the find him a C that can win faceoff and cover down low in the Dzone.
 
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MaynardJames

Registered User
Jul 6, 2007
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They feel nothing. GM and Scout in the NHL are kinda dumb. His brother got drafted in the second round pick. I has sure someone will take a chance in Lane Younger brother. Cole Hutson is a very skilled player (like his brother).
Or they are smarter than you and know that it's hard for those flashy smaller defensmen in the playoff ?
 
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Ezpz

No mad pls
Apr 16, 2013
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Because Cole is not as good as Lane.

43 is not that big of a drop for Cole, especially compared to Lane at 62.
You'd think a purgatory team would take a a swing before that. Like the Islanders. But I guess they did grab Eiserman. Boston took a 6'7 guy who projects to be a fourth line echl player.
 
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Apfel Struble

Registered User
Aug 1, 2019
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You dont need to be a C to be a playmaker. Being a C or a W is more a defensive assignment then an offensive one. There are plenty of super star W playmaker. I wouldn't want to do the Drouin at C experient all over again with him. If he's ok on the W, the find him a C that can win faceoff and cover down low in the Dzone.

It's just that the Habs are considerably more stacked at wing then at C. It might be possible that the best forward configuration would have Demidov at C if Hage ends up being better at wing and Dach is played as 3C. 1st line wingers are reasonably easy to get, great Cs get traded once every 3/4 years

About Drouin, they're just not the same player at all. Demidov is already impressive in his own end

It's not a hill I'd die on, but, as someone said higher, if Demidov can besome a 1C, the Habs are instant contenders
 

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