Michkov vs Demidov

[Guadana]

Is it your way to learn hockey? Yikes

It is my way to teach.

 

[TheUnusedCrayon]

I think a big thing is the difference in their stylistic play. One thing Demidov needs to clean up is he gets into zones where he forces too many passes through which leads to turnovers so he's sometimes passing up the opportunities for possession to set up better chances for himself and his teammates to throw high danger passes through bodies.

Michkov is fine holding onto pucks and setting things up and playing more patient. On top of that he's just got a better shot in general.

I want to see Michkov in the NHL so badly. I want to see how my draft prediction pans out with him. I had him in my #2 spot after Bedard.

 

[NikolaTesla]

Michkov still very clearly the better prospect, it's super clear.

You sound like you're trying to convince yourself.

 

[HeadLiceHatty]

You sound like you're trying to convince yourself.

What stat's and evidence do you have to disprove what he said? Michkov has been superior at every level of their development.

 

[Mrb1p]

Michkov is a better prospect than Demidov and anyone that says otherwise is a Habs homer.

 

[TheKrebsCycle]

What stat's and evidence do you have to disprove what he said? Michkov has been superior at every level of their development.

And performed against actual men . Little different then being the big fish in the small pond .

 

[The Gr8 Dane]

Michkov is a better prospect than Demidov and anyone that says otherwise is a Habs homer.

100%. God knows what happens moving forwards , but as prospects from a pure hockey standpoint its pretty obviously Michkov

 

[SomeDude]

Michkov is a better prospect than Demidov and anyone that says otherwise is a Habs homer.

Honestly I feel like it’s a comparison on the upside of a Kucherov vs a Tarasenko. I don’t understand how there’s any debate.

Michkov has the potential to be a generational talent. Demidov has the potential to be a great 1st line, all-star level player. Still a great prospect in his own right and it’s not fair that he will be compared to Michkov moving forward just because he also happens to be Russian and the Habs passed on him the year before.

 

[Mrb1p]

Honestly I feel like it’s a comparison on the upside of a Kucherov vs a Tarasenko. I don’t understand how there’s any debate.

Michkov has the potential to be a generational talent. Demidov has the potential to be a great 1st line, all-star level player. Still a great prospect in his own right and it’s not fair that he will be compared to Michkov moving forward just because he also happens to be Russian and the Habs passed on him the year before.

I think Demidov has a higher upside than Tarasenko but even so it doesn't matter, he's a great prospect and Im happy to have him. Theres just a contingent of Habs homer that convinced themselves that Demidov is a better prospect because of "two-way play", "attitude", "character", "defensive ability", "size" and other non-existant trait that Demidov has over Michkov. I guess he does have 4 centimers.

 

[HabsAddict]

Wow...an entire thread devoted to...mine is bigger then yours.

I hate to burst your bubble but it will be 5 years before we know who is better. And even then half the equation will be what kind of team they are surrounded with.

Only generational players stand on their own on value. I love that Demidov is ours but he's no Crosby or Lafleur.

But hey...keep measuring.

 

[GoAwayPanarin]

In just for how hilarious this thread is bound to be in 2-3 years.

Also Michkov.

 

[Hockeyville USA]

Michkov by a mile for now

 

[Sombastate]

Michkov very clearly. Doesn't mean Demidov won't be a better player. But Michkov has been more impressive every year of his development than Demidov.

Plenty of better prospects don't end up being better. I really like the Canadiens. Like to root for their young team, but their fanbase spent an entire year obsessing over not drafting Michkov just to act like Michkov isn't anything to write home about.

 

[Mackiaveli]

Thread was more interesting before Demidov was drafted by Montreal and now we'll get the anti-Habs and the boomer Habs crowd coming out.

Michkov has better hockey IQ and is a better goal scorer - he is likely to be the more individually impressive player.

Demidov is a very high-quality prospect with a more complete game and better skating + stick/puck skills - he is likely to be the better point producer.

Everything is always subject to change with players of this caliber especially coming over from Russia where they've dominated every league they've played in for the most part.

Montreal has the much better group of young players, a coach that lends to letting talented young players play with a leash, and a group of complimentary players that will give Demidov the space and time to excel. Montreal as of right now has one of the best (most funded/most paid attention to) development programs in hockey in part due to an over-correction from the pre-Gorton era having nothing in way of advanced analytics and player development.

Philly has some great young pieces and will continue to improve but has nowhere near the support for Michkov. Even if he is on a line with some combo of Konecny/Tippett/Coots I think Michkov will get most of the attention in the offensive zone. I worry how much rope Torts will give him; obviously 2024 Torts is a much different guy - and unlike some I think he's a phenomenal coach and probably a wonderful guy, I just think there is reason to have reservations about how well Michkov and Torts will click unless he starts scoring right off the hop.

I would not be surprised to see both players be excellent - and I hope they are; hockey is better when there are more exciting players across the league. Demidov will likely be the flashier, more exciting 100+ point playmaker like a Marner. Michkov will likely be a 50+ goal machine like Dany Heatley with uber hockey IQ; let's just hope he doesn't end up stuck on bad teams like Mr. 50 in 07.


TL;DR - Demidov will be in a better position to succeed & is flashier/more complete. Michkov is a more talented goal scorer with borderline generational hockey IQ. I would suspect that Michkov is a 50g/50a + type of player, and Demidov is a 25g/80a + type of player.

 

[General Fanager]

Michkov very clearly. Doesn't mean Demidov won't be a better player. But Michkov has been more impressive every year of his development than Demidov.

Plenty of better prospects don't end up being better. I really like the Canadiens. Like to root for their young team, but their fanbase spent an entire year obsessing over not drafting Michkov just to act like Michkov isn't anything to write home about.

Thats a pretty fair comment for most Hab fans, but to be fair most fanbases are like that.

 

[Sombastate]

Thats a pretty fair comment for most Hab fans, but to be fair most fanbases are like that.

That's very fair, and i don't necessarily mean it to single out Hab fans. I mean it more of "As i was growing to really like what the Hab organization was doing, the fans have soured me on enjoying it as publicly as i once was."

 

[LeProspector]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1823050272182043036

Why has this thread gained so much traction outside of the site?

 

[KevSkillz4]

I think Demidov has a higher upside than Tarasenko but even so it doesn't matter, he's a great prospect and Im happy to have him. Theres just a contingent of Habs homer that convinced themselves that Demidov is a better prospect because of "two-way play", "attitude", "character", "defensive ability", "size" and other non-existant trait that Demidov has over Michkov. I guess he does have 4 centimers.

Ok, but if you watched pre-season of KHL in the beginning of this year, Demidov play better than Michkov. They play on same line.

Demidov have better hands, better hockey IQ, better passing ability and he is much more fun to watch than Michkov.

Michkov is much a oppurtunity type of guy, better goalscorer and better killer instinct for scoring.

 

[FlyguyOX]

Ok, but if you watched pre-season of KHL in the beginning of this year, Demidov play better than Michkov. They play on same line.

Demidov have better hands, better hockey IQ, better passing ability and he is much more fun to watch than Michkov.

Michkov is much a oppurtunity type of guy, better goalscorer and better killer instinct for scoring.

I disagree that Demidov played better.

Michkov also played center, which I can't remember last time he has played that position, and he drove the bus on the team in preseason.

Demidov better hockey IQ? C'mon.

Michkov is a more efficient player. His creative plays pretty much always connect. He doesn't need the puck on his stick and is just as dangerous off the puck as he is on it. Demidov is not, his value is with the puck.

People need to go back and watch Michkov's junior highlights if you want to compare the flash of the two prospects.

 

[KevSkillz4]

I disagree that Demidov played better.

Michkov also played center, which I can't remember last time he has played that position, and he drove the bus on the team in preseason.

Demidov better hockey IQ? C'mon.

Michkov is a more efficient player. His creative plays pretty much always connect. He doesn't need the puck on his stick and is just as dangerous off the puck as he is on it. Demidov is not, his value is with the puck.

People need to go back and watch Michkov's junior highlights if you want to compare the flash of the two prospects.

Demidov IQ is very underrated lol. Michkov have great hockey IQ aswell. If you watch both closely, Demidov have higher chance to reach his full potential than Michkov.

My two cents.

Both have 90-100 pts potential, both will be stars//superstars type of guy.

I think it's a question of preference. Both have been considered #2 all year long in their draft respective.

 

[BKarchitect]

I think efficiency is a good way to put it with Michkov. I definitely disagree that Demidov has a higher hockey IQ. I do agree Demidov is more visually fun to watch but part of the genius and lethal ability of Michkov is the efficiency.

Demidov IQ is very underrated lol. Michkov have great hockey IQ aswell. If you watch both closely, Demidov have higher chance to reach his full potential than Michkov.

Like...what does this even mean? Why would this be true? Unless you are citing specific examples, this sound like a generic platitude with no real meaning.

 

[Mrb1p]

Ok, but if you watched pre-season of KHL in the beginning of this year, Demidov play better than Michkov. They play on same line.

Demidov have better hands, better hockey IQ, better passing ability and he is much more fun to watch than Michkov.

Michkov is much a oppurtunity type of guy, better goalscorer and better killer instinct for scoring.

I did and no he did not play better. Michkov got 5 minutes in one game at center and didn't play after. I know for a fact you didn't watch, dit pas dla marde.

Demidov surely doesn't have better IQ than Michkov.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

I disagree that Demidov played better.

Michkov also played center, which I can't remember last time he has played that position, and he drove the bus on the team in preseason.

Demidov better hockey IQ? C'mon.

Michkov is a more efficient player. His creative plays pretty much always connect. He doesn't need the puck on his stick and is just as dangerous off the puck as he is on it. Demidov is not, his value is with the puck.

People need to go back and watch Michkov's junior highlights if you want to compare the flash of the two prospects.

This is the key here. Michkov's instincts and timing without the puck remind me of Crosby and Gaudreau, two guys who are just on another level in terms of anticipating where to position themselves to capitalize on chances.

Yeah, these guys all have elite offensive vision and passing skill with the puck as well, but that's honestly more common than the type of anticipation they have.

I touched on this a bit in the past in Michkov's thread:

I think it's right there. The true mark of generational IQ isn't as much vision with the puck (though that is certainly important), but it's the off puck anticipation - the guys who just know where the puck is going to be before everyone else.

This is what made Crosby so special - it was unbelievable how many garbage goals he has scored just by his anticipation. It's also what has made Gaudreau such an effective NHL player despite his size.

Here is a great example of what I am talking about:



He makes a low to high pass across the middle of the ice to a teammate who is in motion, and you can see he instantly realizes where he needs to get to.
View attachment 748520

In only 2 seconds, he's positioned himself in the perfect spot for a wide open rebound. Look at the urgency in his skating to get to that spot, it's clear he knows how valuable that ice is about to become.
View attachment 748518

This is another great example, where you see him anticipate that the puck is going to get to the backdoor before the defender Comeau, and he beats him to that spot for the easy goal.



Again, you can see how he gets on his horse the moment he recognizes where the puck is going, like a full second before Comeau:

View attachment 748525
And by the time Comeau realizes it, its too late
View attachment 748526

In watching Michkov, I do believe he possesses this ability moreso than even Bedard.

His first goal of the season was an example of this timing and awareness of where the puck is going to go:

 

[My3Sons]

This is the key here. Michkov's instincts and timing without the puck remind me of Crosby and Gaudreau, two guys who are just on another level in terms of anticipating where to position themselves to capitalize on chances.

Yeah, these guys all have elite offensive vision and passing skill with the puck as well, but that's honestly more common than the type of anticipation they have.

I touched on this a bit in the past in Michkov's thread:

I tend to agree with the poster above who suggested that it might come down to which team puts their guy in a better position to succeed. They both are really impressive talents.

 

[MXD]

Michkov scoring 120 points next year or bust.