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

[NotProkofievian]

We have 4 premium offensive threats provided Ivan fulfills his potential, which means we have the makings of two offensive lines.

We really need Dach to pan out, or to find a replacement for him because if he does we finally have options.

 

[ChurchOfMatthews]

Good grab Hab fans! Kid's going to be fun to watch.

 

[Steve Shutt]

2024-25 = KHL
2025-26 = AHL or NHL

Can we add a veteran Russian via UFA next year to help Demidov's adjustment to the NHL. Buchnevich might be a free agent or maybe we trade for Malkin who will be on the last year of his contract

 

[Spearmint Rhino]

Didn’t watch his highlights cause I refused to blue ball myself for a tease but damn kids got some skillz

 

[tnq]

Imagine in 5 years, Damidov is better than Celebrini

I hope they learned from Galchy and the Kostitsyn brothers. We need a Russian mentor for him. He is probably our most skilled forward since Alex Kovalev. We need to bring back Markov with the team. Markov could be a great mentor for him.

Lol, Kostitsyn and Galchenuck played with Markov. Why didn't he help them ?

 

[Hinterland]

I think that after passing on Michkov last year, this was a somehow forced pick. People would have went bonkers if the Habs didn't take Demidov.
Having said that, this is good value at 5th overall.

Demidov is kinda difficult to evaluate because he didn't play at a very high level. Therefore, this isn't quite without risk. Still, he's probably, together with Catton, the forward with the highest offensive upside in this draft and I'm not sure it's necessarily lower than Michkov's. Unlike Michkov he also played along with the procedure of the NHL draft which is why, unlike Michkov, he wasn't on the Habs (and many other teams) no draft list. So the Habs get a player with probably similar upside but minus the red flags.

Curious to see how this works out but I agree that, wherever that may be, the Habs have to make sure this prospect gets to compete at a higher level next season.

 

[ReHabs]

Will he play on his off-wing like many Russian greats of years past? Will he shoot in stride like from the Russian school of hockey? Oh boy what an unexpected joy. Really really hope he works out.

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Still can't believe it...

 

[Archijerej]

We have 4 premium offensive threats provided Ivan fulfills his potential, which means we have the makings of two offensive lines.

We really need Dach to pan out, or to find a replacement for him because if he does we finally have options.

Yeah. Dach is probably the biggest question mark right now. If Hage can make it as a center, that selection could turn out to be a pretty shrewd move.

I wonder what's the plan for defense as well. Are we going to just wait for them to simmer, or we will start to bring in some established guys at some point?

Next season is probably still largely an evaluation phase, with the cap situation and so on, but this management does not strike me as a passive bunch.

 

[cave troll]

I was watching highlights for hours. On of the fastest working brains and most skilled hands I've seen in hockey. Get this kid across the ocean ASAP,

 

[Habricot]

I thought it was an awesome moment that only the Montreal Canadiens could pull off. I liked it.

Well they had to find someone. Our captain was on a fligth coming back from Munich. Did not want to bug him as he was with his gf but almost went to him to ask his thougths on the pick.

 

[BenchBrawl]

I think that after passing on Michkov last year, this was a somehow forced pick. People would have went bonkers if the Habs didn't take Demidov.

I f***ing hope so

Matvei Michkov was impardonnable. I still hold it against them.

Ivan Demidov was a majestic pick at 5th though.

 

[salbutera]

Only thing that could top this is if he announces he’s not returning to the MHL/KHL next season, surely a brown paper bag of ‘incentiveness’ could accidentally be misplaced

I do wonder if there’s a way for Habs “to enable”
(Wink wink) buy out last year of MHL deal and let him get acclimated to NA ice w Laval

 

[BenchBrawl]

No forward since Kovalev could dominate and control the games completely.

Demidov has a real chance to become that.

 

[salbutera]

I f***ing hope so

Matvei Michkov was impardonnable. I still hold it against them.

Ivan Demidov was a majestic pick at 5th though.

Not sure about that…a cherry picker who doesn’t even know what the Dzone is…. will be fun to watch Torts tear him to shreds “I don’t think he understands the game of hockey” …. fun times ahead in Philly

 

[Hinterland]

I f***ing hope so

Matvei Michkov was impardonnable. I still hold it against them.

Ivan Demidov was a majestic pick at 5th though.

Matvei Michkov decided not to be cooperative, not to play along with procedures during draft season. You can like it or not but the way it works these days is that, as a draft eligible prospect, all season long you have to answer lots of questions, be it in written form, via phone/video call or in person. Scouting players is the one thing but in today's world, NHL teams also wanna know about the persons, about the character of the prospects they're drafting. If you just ignore NHL teams all season long that means you're rubbing lots of people the wrong way and you gotta live with the consequences. If Michkov's goal was to get drafted by Philadelphia then he achieved his goal. If he wanted to go earlier in the draft and avoid being on so many no draft lists then he should have been more cooperative. Habs weren't the only team to not wanna draft a player they weren't able to talk to all season long.

Bottom line I think is that by drafting Reinbacher and Demidov, the Habs made the best out of the situation.

 

[Schooner Guy]

This may have already been discussed in this thread but does anyone know if Demidov will be at our development camp? Or are Russian players heading back home immediately after the draft?

 

[dcyhabs]

No choice but to draft him at #5. I am very surprised that Anaheim picked Sennecke instead of Demidov. I am also very surprised Ottawa did not take Buium or Dickenson instead of Yakemchuk.

It’s not that strange, and they may be right. Takes vary.

 

[salbutera]

This may have already been discussed in this thread but does anyone know if Demidov will be at our development camp? Or are Russian players heading back home immediately after the draft?

Demigod said no as of now because he doesn’t have a Cdn visa….. I’m sure Molson can get Justin to pull some strings

 

[tazsub3]

I doubt they can pressure anyone over there, but yes it would be a shame for Demidov to be stuck in the MHL because of idiot Rotenberg.

You are correct , oressure don’t work there , good positive relations do however.

 

[habsfan891]

It's the next morning and I'm still amped as f*** this is the most excited I've been for my team in probably 20 years

 

[ReHabs]

Matvei Michkov decided not to be cooperative, not to play along with procedures during draft season. You can like it or not but the way it works these days is that, as a draft eligible prospect, all season long you have to answer lots of questions, be it in written form, via phone or video call or in person. Scouting players is the one thing but in today's world, NHL teams also wanna know about the persons, about the character of the prospects they're drafting. If you just ignore NHL teams all season long that means you're rubbing lots of people the wrong way and you gotta live with the consequences. If Michkov's goal was to get drafted by Philadelphia then he achieved his goal. If he wanted to go earlier in the draft and avoid being on so many no draft lists then he should have been more cooperative. Habs weren't the only team to not wanna draft a player they weren't able to talk to all season long.

Bottom line I think is that by drafting Reinbacher and Demidov, the Habs made the best out of the situation.

So after spending weeks and months and possibly years shitting on Michkov elsewhere, you come here to shit up this thread that's not about Michkov whatsoever. It's Demidov, an entirely different person and entirely different player and he's the Habs' player. Take an Imodium, for a love of god.

 

[Guy Larose]

I f***ing hope so

Matvei Michkov was impardonnable. I still hold it against them.

Ivan Demidov was a majestic pick at 5th though.

No it wasn't. Bitchkov had too many red flags and KH said they had Demidov on their minds looking ahead to this year already.

 

[Lshap]

Plot Twist:

Hughes actually picked Dickinson, but Celine said "Screw that" and announced Demidov.

 

[crosbyshow]

In terms of pure talent....Demidov is the best draft player with the Habs since Guy Lafleur.

Richer was a great pure talent but he was drafted in the second round