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

[Kennerback]

I love how people hate everything Russia unless he's a really good hockey player lol

Shouldn’t we hate US hockey players now? Ridiculous. Hate the US and Russia all you want. Leave the athletes alone.

 

[electron58]

Some of you are overly aggressive on beating up on Mesar.

And quite frankly the Habs middle six is not set. Dach is a question mark. Laine is a question mark. Roy is a question mark. Newhook is a question mark. Armia and Evans might be gone. There's room.

You're not wrong there DA. There's just something about Mesar (attitude) that rubs you the wrong way. Unlike Claude Lemieux, who used to rub the other Teams the wrong way but did whatever it took. (Ah, memories.)
& I agree with your assessment of our middle six. Although there is a lot of disappointment with Mesar, as Hab fans we deep down are rooting for him because we really want HUGO and their scouts to be correct in their reasoning for drafting Mesar. atm it's easy to be down on him because if he's not putting up points for a lil guy, what does he bring?

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

Anything can be extrapolated because there is absolutely no way of knowing/proving alternate realities.

I honestly think that the key is that neither Hage nor Desnoyers are blue chip prospects, no matter how much hope any fan has for either prospect.

Therefore, the development process is what matters most afterwards, not the draft selection ranking.

Hopefully, Hage continues to progress as he has shown to be capable of progressing, on his way to becoming an impact player for the Habs, preferably at C, but at wing, falling short of that.

And, if Desnoyers is selected by the Habs, hopefully the same thing happens and, like Hage, that player has an impact in the Habs' lineup.

The "Blue chip" tag is uber subjective and has no established criteria/parameters. If you do not think that these two, who were the very best 16 year olds in Quebec and Ontario respectively and were well known prior to their junior career and being consensus first rounders are not "Blue Chip" prospects than I submit that your understanding of the term's meaning is at a much higher threshold than it is universally understood to represent.

Desnoyers is a consensus top 10 and the 1 OA selection in the QMJHL priority draft and Hage would have been a top ten worthy selection as well without missing almost an entire D-1 and struggling with the loss of his father. Hage was a huge name in the GTHL with the JRC and would have been at the very top of the OHL draft but everyone knew that he wanted to go the NCAA route. If I was to use the term "Blue Chip" which I generally abhor, I would easily refer to both as such. Maybe even more so for Hage as he has proven more at a higher level as the D+1season is more important than a players actual drafted position.

 

[Whalers Fan]

So, which other prospects other than Demidov can we discuss in this thread?

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

So, which other prospects other than Demidov can we discuss in this thread?

...Nikita Scherbak...why not...

 

[Scriptor]

The "Blue chip" tag is uber subjective and has no established criteria/parameters. If you do not think that these two, who were the very best 16 year olds in Quebec and Ontario respectively and were well known prior to their junior career and being consensus first rounders are not "Blue Chip" prospects than I submit that your understanding of the term's meaning is at a much higher threshold than it is universally understood to represent.

Desnoyers is a consensus top 10 and the 1 OA selection in the QMJHL priority draft and Hage would have been a top ten worthy selection as well without missing almost an entire D-1 and struggling with the loss of his father. Hage was a huge name in the GTHL with the JRC and would have been at the very top of the OHL draft but everyone knew that he wanted to go the NCAA route. If I was to use the term "Blue Chip" which I generally abhor, I would easily refer to both as such. Maybe even more so for Hage as he has proven more at a higher level as the D+1season is more important than a players actual drafted position.

If these two are bluechip prospects and we select Desnoyers, we will be all set and should have three candidates at C for the top-6 without a doubt within around three more years or so, solving our eternal problems down the middle.

I honestly don't think that this is a given because Hage may just pan out as a winger, hopefully in the top-6 (still good, though) and Desnoyers doesn't drive the play enough, even if he contributes wholeheartedly on the forecheck, often opting form the safer play. He's not dynamic enough yet, IMO and, although he's shown more flashes of it, the jury is still out if this will become a consistent part of his game or not. If it doesn't and Desnoyers is to play C, it's likelier in a 3C role, at best.

I wouldn't want to waste a high selection spot at the 2025 draft if I wasn't sure he would come around in that aspect off his game and I would prefer a C/LW (even if he ends up only playing wing) like Carter bear because there is zero doubt that he will play an in your face, dynamic, disturbing role, likely in a top-6.

Now, it's all a matter of preference and evaluation. You may think that Bear is a 4th line schlepp and we'll just agree to disagree.

 

[JianYang]

Art Ross challenger, better than Suzuki as soon as next year.

Guys...we're doing it again....

It will never change. The Jesus price stuff was a whole other level.

 

[BigDaddyLurch]

It will never change. The Jesus price stuff was a whole other level.

 

[Estimated_Prophet]

If these two are bluechip prospects and we select Desnoyers, we will be all set and should have three candidates at C for the top-6 without a doubt within around three more years or so, solving our eternal problems down the middle.

I honestly don't think that this is a given because Hage may just pan out as a winger, hopefully in the top-6 (still good, though) and Desnoyers doesn't drive the play enough, even if he contributes wholeheartedly on the forecheck, often opting form the safer play. He's not dynamic enough yet, IMO and, although he's shown more flashes of it, the jury is still out if this will become a consistent part of his game or not. If it doesn't and Desnoyers is to play C, it's likelier in a 3C role, at best.

I wouldn't want to waste a high selection spot at the 2025 draft if I wasn't sure he would come around in that aspect off his game and I would prefer a C/LW (even if he ends up only playing wing) like Carter bear because there is zero doubt that he will play an in your face, dynamic, disturbing role, likely in a top-6.

Now, it's all a matter of preference and evaluation. You may think that Bear is a 4th line schlepp and we'll just agree to disagree.

Nothing is ever guaranteed outside of "generational" draft picks and the rest is always up for debate.

I value both Hage and Desnoyers as high end prospects who project as top six NHLers. This should not be confused for me asserting that they absolutely will reach this level but they do profile as such relative to their peers and that is all we really have to go on until they write their own story.

Neither is at the level of Demidov but they are both prospects that have significant value already as NHL assets and are expected to be good NHLers.

 

[sampollock]

Honestly, I don’t even know if I could play center. I would have to try. I played center a few times in junior hockey and I felt good. However, SKA never used me in that position. Faceoffs would probably be the key factor - I don’t always win them.” - Ivan Demidov

 

[Scriptor]

Honestly, I don’t even know if I could play center. I would have to try. I played center a few times in junior hockey and I felt good. However, SKA never used me in that position. Faceoffs would probably be the key factor - I don’t always win them.” - Ivan Demidov

lol. If he thinks he won't be good if he doesn't ALWAYS win the draws, he'll never be good at C.

 

[HabsCode]

Honestly, I don’t even know if I could play center. I would have to try. I played center a few times in junior hockey and I felt good. However, SKA never used me in that position. Faceoffs would probably be the key factor - I don’t always win them.” - Ivan Demidov

I taught you were going on a rant about your past hockey career at first

 

[DAChampion]

So back to Demidov, it seems like wants to try and be a center. Should the Habs indulge him?

I feel like the Habs should give him a chance, but maybe that doesn't matter.

 

[Rapala]

Honestly, I don’t even know if I could play center. I would have to try. I played center a few times in junior hockey and I felt good. However, SKA never used me in that position. Faceoffs would probably be the key factor - I don’t always win them.” - Ivan Demidov

He'll fit in perfectly.

 

[JoelWarlord]

Still feels surreal that we have a talent like this. We've seen how much Hutson has changed the complexion of this team, Demidov will be like that but even better.

 

[Sasha Orlov]

What are your favourite news sources for national and international affairs?

X is quite literally the only good option

 

[crosbyshow]

So back to Demidov, it seems like wants to try and be a center. Should the Habs indulge him?

I feel like the Habs should give him a chance, but maybe that doesn't matter.

We did that stupid mistake with Galchenyuk and Drouin in the last few years.

Demidov will have to adapt to a total new lifestyle, a new league etc..

Let him grow on the wing....you can be a winger and make your linemates better ...aka Jagr, Lafleur, Kucherov, Kane etc..

The dude almost never took a face off in the last 5 years.

 

[Gustave]

We did that stupid mistake with Galchenyuk and Drouin in the last few years.

Demidov will have to adapt to a total new lifestyle, a new league etc..

Let him grow on the wing....you can be a winger and make your linemates better ...aka Jagr, Lafleur, Kucherov, Kane etc..

The dude almost never took a face off in the last 5 years.

It ain’t broke…

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

View attachment 975879

Okay, this made me laugh...

Should have had 'individualisse' on the blackboard x'd out too. And 'grind!'

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

Could Demidov turboboost Joshua Roy? Sometimes, it is just a question of chemistry...

If Demidov is the real deal, the spillover effect is huge.

Look at what McDavid did for Hyman. Superstar players make other players better. Joshua Roy is a great example of a player who could hugely benefit from playing with a true superstar. He has great offensive instincts but needs someone to bring it out.

We've lacked that for so, so long. Guys like Slaf could use it in the worst way. CC and Suzuki are good players - legit first liners. But neither have been able to produce at a superstar level. Add in somebody like that and it's a completely different ball game.