Prospect Info: Ivan Demidov (2024 5th OA): SKA St. Petersburg (KHL): Part II

[Runner77]

Where do you all read these things about the kid never playing again for his team in the playoffs and end up back in jr, etc? I tried to catch up but everything seems made up for fun here on hf for the sake of chatting?

Twas a Marco D’Amico source (cue in HF snipers who’ll say he made it up):

“If SKA is eliminated early from the playoffs, Demidov will continue playing in the MHL to help the club compete for the Kharlamov Cup, a trophy he won in 2024 with SKA-1946,” said a source close to the situation to RG. “The organization prioritizes winning titles at every level, not just the Gagarin Cup.”

 

[The Last Red]

Reinbacher might compete for the Calder too.

But probably not win. Still having two finalists will be cool.

No chance DR wins the Calder. He will not score enough points.

 

[DAChampion]

Fans was always wanted talent in this team, imagine when Demidov will be on ice with players like Slaf, Suzuki, Caufield, Laine and Hutson. (Hage and Reinbacher have aswell great talent's).

No doubt, the talent is there in MTL.

In the past, I was sad that we never got to see Kovalev/Koivu play with Subban/Pacioretty, or Subban play with Radulov.

But, over the next few years, we'll see a good cohort together. Suzuki and Hutson won't be playing alone, we won't spend ten years complaining that Suzuki only has D'Agostini and Higgins as his linemates, or that Carey Price has to win every game 1-0 or 2-1.

 

[OldCraig71]

If we could get Crosby(an old guy can dream) it would be an amazing way for Demidov to start his career in the NHL. You could stick Josh Anderson or Armia on that line and they would be 30 goal scorers lol.

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

Jagr played in this era.

He played in a lot of eras lol

 

[Sasha Orlov]

Twas a Marco D’Amico source (cue in HF snipers who’ll say he made it up):

“If SKA is eliminated early from the playoffs, Demidov will continue playing in the MHL to help the club compete for the Kharlamov Cup, a trophy he won in 2024 with SKA-1946,” said a source close to the situation to RG. “The organization prioritizes winning titles at every level, not just the Gagarin Cup.”

He made it up btw

 

[themilosh]

If we could get Crosby(an old guy can dream) it would be an amazing way for Demidov to start his career in the NHL. You could stick Josh Anderson or Armia on that line and they would be 30 goal scorers lol.

Welcome to how clubs keep developing mid level players to be of value for trades... The players you pay big bucks for have to make the players around them more robust - otherwise they are not the value of the contract. Personally, I see a player like Guenthal becoming who is (today) by playing with Crosby... Thats real value

 

[Zine]

His father Boris is an old judo buddy and a close ally of Putin, and became one of the fabulously rich oligarchs in the 1990's when old Soviet industries were privatized for pennies. His father is also close friends with another Russian billionaire and Putin ally Gennady Timchenko, who is currently Chairman of the Board of Directors & Club President of SKA St. Petersburg. It's a long story, but the KHL has essentially always been a political project with SKA St. Petersburg as the flagship team, and Rotenberg Jr. has simply been able to leverage his political connections to land up as the coach of that team.

Nominally Gazprom, the Russian state company which owns their vast natural gas reserves remains the owner of the team, but it's really just a sham that enables them to have essentially infinite money to spend. SKA is not just a regular hockey club, it's essentially another state owned entity with politically appointed directors and now even head coaches. Look up on Wikipedia what other titles Rotenberg holds. First VP of the Russian Hockey Federation. VP of SKA St. Petersburg. GM of the Russian men's hockey team. Member of the KHL board of directors. Head Coach of the U25 Russian hockey team. This is what a rotten corrupt society run by oligarchs looks like.

There is a reason why Demidov fell to us at 5th, and they're not wholly irrational. I'll be glad when he's finally in Montreal practicing with the team

For as corrupt as SKA is, Rotenberg's ass is on the hot-seat these playoffs. He publicly apologized to SKA's Board last week and the media are now making fun of him.

And now this:

"7th place in the regular season is the team's worst result in the KHL. It cannot but be alarming and worrying. However, the team, staff and management now have nowhere to go except to follow the examples of NHL teams that played in the Stanley Cup Finals after finishing 7th or 8th like the Kings who won the Cup in 2012 after finishing 8th.
So it's time not only for St. Petersburg football, basketball and handball; but also for hockey. The time is now."
-A. Medeved, SKA Chairman of Board, 24-3-2025

After all this, if Rotenberg still refuses to use Demidov to the fullest in playoffs, he should be blasted out of a canon into space. ,

 

[CostaRica]

Rotenberg takes a lot of crap here and in Russia but Demidov is a better player all around than he was earlier and given him the game off before the playoffs was a smart decision.

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

Twas a Marco D’Amico source (cue in HF snipers who’ll say he made it up):

“If SKA is eliminated early from the playoffs, Demidov will continue playing in the MHL to help the club compete for the Kharlamov Cup, a trophy he won in 2024 with SKA-1946,” said a source close to the situation to RG. “The organization prioritizes winning titles at every level, not just the Gagarin Cup.”

Chrome dome means he read it somewhere else..

 

[Miller Time]

Rotenberg takes a lot of crap here and in Russia but Demidov is a better player all around than he was earlier and given him the game off before the playoffs was a smart decision.

Did you by chance catch DeAngelo's comments about Demidov? In particular about his professional work ethic on and off the ice?

crediting Rotenberg with Demidov's progress reminds me of posters trying to credit Therrien for PK & Gally...

there is zero reason to believe Demidov has benefited from his low usage this season nor to any notion he needed "rest" at this point in the season.

 

[OldCraig71]

Welcome to how clubs keep developing mid level players to be of value for trades... The players you pay big bucks for have to make the players around them more robust - otherwise they are not the value of the contract. Personally, I see a player like Guenthal becoming who is (today) by playing with Crosby... Thats real value

It would be a massive shot in the arm for Montreal to get him but I say this realizing that the chances are very slim that it happens.

Just imagine if you will how it would help Suzuki and Beck and Evans and every other young player to go to war with a legend like that.

Imagine the electricity in Montreal to have number 87 skate out on the ice in October. It would be one the best moves for hockey to have Sid finish his career playing for his childhood team.

 

[Redux91]

And that has what to do with anything? Like I said, sending KHL regulars to MHL playoffs is common in Russian hockey.


The only reason Hab fans are throwing a hissy fit is because yall want Demidov after the KHL playoffs end. So anything shoet of Demidov playing in Montreal this year is corrupt, unfair and evil despite Demidov being under, ya know, contract.


My god, the entitement of NHL fans is astounding.

You never answered the question btw

Once we secure Demidov safely in NA
We're rid of you, right?

 

[Runner77]

He played in a lot of eras lol

His stolen figurines might also show up in a lot of eras.

 

[Runner77]

Did you by chance catch DeAngelo's comments about Demidov? In particular about his professional work ethic on and off the ice?

crediting Rotenberg with Demidov's progress reminds me of posters trying to credit Therrien for PK & Gally...

there is zero reason to believe Demidov has benefited from his low usage this season nor to any notion he needed "rest" at this point in the season.

And with that, Rotenberg became a leading authority on the science of randomized load management.

 

[CostaRica]

Did you by chance catch DeAngelo's comments about Demidov? In particular about his professional work ethic on and off the ice?

crediting Rotenberg with Demidov's progress reminds me of posters trying to credit Therrien for PK & Gally...

there is zero reason to believe Demidov has benefited from his low usage this season nor to any notion he needed "rest" at this point in the season.

Deangelo?? The guy SKA told to Foff for his useless defensive work? Some expertise you quote

 

[Miller Time]

Deangelo?? The guy SKA told to Foff for his useless defensive work? Some expertise you quote

Yes. A teammate of Demidov who spent time with the player this year and has zero ROI to pump his tires...

Making a statement that matches all the other external evidence available.

Please do offer the insight or info your assessment is based on.

 

[Goldthorpe]

If Im Demidov here, I'm not refusing anything until I'm out of Russia.

If I'm Demidov and I'm being sent to the MHL, I ask if I can play center, take faceoffs and focus on my defense. He has nothing to prove offensively, let him take some PK shifts. Mix it up.

 

[rahad]

I would argue trying to gloss over the fact that he is 38 and will be 39 next year is far more ignorant. Jagr and Chelios played in another era.

Crosby has also been playing since he is 18 year old. He could retire after next year. He pretty much accomplished everything in the league.
I will not be surprise to see him back as a coach in the NHL (kinda like MSL).

 

[DAChampion]

If I'm Demidov and I'm being sent to the MHL, I ask if I can play center, take faceoffs and focus on my defense. He has nothing to prove offensively, let him take some PK shifts. Mix it up.

Doesn't playing on PK significantly increase the odds of injury?

 

[themilosh]

Crosby has also been playing since he is 18 year old. He could retire after next year. He pretty much accomplished everything in the league.
I will not be surprise to see him back as a coach in the NHL (kinda like MSL).

Except for bringing the Cup back to MTL.. thsts his ultimate goal.

 

[CHwest]

Except for bringing the Cup back to MTL.. thsts his ultimate goal.

By the time the team is ready for that he will be in his forties.

 

[DAChampion]

By the time the team is ready for that he will be in his forties.

Crosby is currently a little better than Suzuki. With him as a top-2, the team can compete next year.

 

[Scriptor]

If I'm Demidov and I'm being sent to the MHL, I ask if I can play center, take faceoffs and focus on my defense. He has nothing to prove offensively, let him take some PK shifts. Mix it up.

SKA prioritizes winning, even in the MHL, from all accounts.It won't be development league for Demidov so he can try different things out...

 

[Scriptor]

By the time the team is ready for that he will be in his forties.

Hopefully, I won't be in my Eighties!