The Montreal Canadiens have many wants: a second-line heart, a top-pair right-handed defenseman, and a top-quality beginning goaltender. Whereas lots of these items might be discovered within the groups’ prospect pipeline, the one obtrusive want that they virtually assuredly have is for an elite offensive ahead.
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The rebuild being steered by common supervisor (GM) Kent Hughes has been capable of accumulate many high belongings, but it was by the luck of the draw that he added a transformative offensive participant. Fifth general on the 2024 NHL Entry Draft, he took Ivan Demidov. His addition will rework the Canadiens’ offence and make it one of many NHL’s most potent.
Demidov’s By no means-Ending Comparisons
For the second time this season, Demidov has been named the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) Rookie of the Month after scoring six factors (4 objectives, two assists) in seven video games in December. The SKA St-Petersburg winger now has 12 objectives and 17 assists in 39 video games performed.
It is sensible that Demidov and Matvei Michkov will probably be in contrast by the Montreal fanbase. Each gamers are Russian, wingers, and offensively gifted. However they strategy the sport in a different way. The choice to pick Demidov is seen as a boon for the Canadiens. But in addition as a approach to substitute the scoring that might have been, regardless of the entire reporting stating it was Michkov orchestrating his slide to the Flyers. Elliotte Friedman confirmed on the Dec. 20, 2023, episode of the 32 Ideas podcast that it was Michkov’s resolution to keep away from Montreal and align with the Flyers.
Nonetheless, it’s helpful to match the 2 as they may have related rising pains within the NHL. Michkov’s offensive sport is clear, however it’s the changes to enjoying a two-way fashion, to enjoying on a smaller ice floor, which trigger rising pains. This results in needing to make performs a lot quicker and cope with the physicality the dearth of house brings. He even factors to this as his main hurdle, stating “I have to learn to guarantee I’ve the power to play at 100% each sport. NHL rinks are smaller, the tempo is quicker, and selections have to be made extra shortly. I’m nonetheless adjusting to this.”
Two minutes of Ivan Demidov’s greatest offensive highlights from this 12 months however they hold getting extra ridiculous after every play.
By way of pure talent and creativity, that is the perfect European prospect I’ve ever had the pleasure of scouting. #2024NHLDraft pic.twitter.com/M8pqXfoAQM
— Lassi Alanen (@lassialanen) June 27, 2024
Despite the fact that Demidov may have a interval of adjustment, just like his fellow Russian ahead, it’s clear that he has related if no more offensive talent. For the reason that go to with the Canadiens administration staff in Russia again in December, head coach Roman Rotenberg has moved Demidov from a wholesome scratch/fourth-line rotation to enjoying in a top-line function. Canadiens followers don’t care if administration wanted to bribe his KHL coach or not, they’re excited to see him getting a chance that he had arguably earned on his personal. This transfer will increase his ice time from 5 minutes in some video games to over 18 minutes, and since that promotion, he has delivered multiple-point video games in every look, scoring six objectives and three assists within the 5 video games since that go to.
Demidov’s Future Impression
Offensively, Demidov is averaging 3.82 factors per 60 minutes, which leads the KHL. Persevering with the comparability to Michkov, he averaged 3.25 factors per 60 minutes (which was spectacular) final 12 months on the identical age. The truth that Demidov additionally has performed over 100 fewer minutes on the ability play (PP), makes his offensive output within the KHL that rather more unimaginable.
Younger man!! Ivan Demidov bats it off mid-air for his 2nd of the night time! pic.twitter.com/RacZD9KccC
— KHL (@khl_eng) January 3, 2025
Defensive changes will probably be anticipated, but it surely shouldn’t be a long-term venture as Demidov is already defensively accountable. Whereas the plus/minus statistic isn’t definitive, it does level to his capacity to play defensively, and effectively sufficient to guide the KHL in that statistic as of Jan 4. He’s environment friendly at studying the opponent’s play growth and reacting shortly to use any errors with an aggressive narrowing of the hole, an energetic stick, after which a sudden change of course.
He’s at all times in movement, utilizing his edges to keep up momentum to stay in a great defensive posture. He constantly stays a great choice for a transitional play, and in help of defensive zone exits with management. It’s his compete degree that units him aside as he’s keen to do no matter is important to regain puck possession.
Goodness! Ivan Demidov!
It is a 5-game objective streak! pic.twitter.com/9832RYRhoG
— KHL (@khl_eng) January 3, 2025
The Canadiens play a faster-paced fashion of sport, which is effectively suited to Demidov, who has sufficient pace to reap the benefits of enjoying a fast break fashion in transition. He additionally has the dimensions at 6-foot-0 and 192 kilos to resist the bodily facets of the NHL sport. This makes it simpler to transition into enjoying a cycle as effectively. He won’t ever be the arduous forecheck and puck retrieval skilled on a line, however that could be a fashion of participant he’ll slot in effectively with, and the Canadiens do have a number of of these. For instance, Juraj Slafkovsky and Emil Heineman are on the roster right now and can mature alongside the younger phenom.
Will Demidov be a star instantly? There are some within the NHL who consider so. Eric Engels of Sportsnet met with executives through the NHL Board of Governors’ conferences and was given a glowing evaluation. “He’s a bona fide famous person, who will arrive in Montreal and instantly make an impression,” he mentioned, including he thought it wouldn’t take lengthy for the Russian ahead to develop into the Canadiens’ greatest participant.
The expectation is that Demidov will rework the Canadiens’ offence. That is nonetheless extremely wanted, even after the addition of Patrik Laine. With out the Finnish ahead within the lineup, even when Montreal can get 40 photographs on objective, they’ll have issue scoring as seen of their loss to the Chicago Blackhawks (Jan. 3), the place that they had a season-high output in photographs on web, however couldn’t clear up goaltender Arvid Soderblom. Additionally, regardless of going one for 3 on the PP, the Canadiens have been disorganized with the person benefit as they may not get set within the zone, or present a chance for a game-changing shooter the time to get a shot off.
Demidov may have a direct impression on the Canadiens, and whereas followers might want to stay cautious, particularly with their expectations of the younger Russian, they’ve each proper to be excited. With the staff taking a step ahead this season, albeit a small one, his arrival subsequent season might be the lacking piece to take the leap into turning into a playoff staff.
