[Sandman]

Draft Thoughts (Russian Edition, Part 2):

There are many who describe 5'11",165lb LHRW Ivan Demidov as possibly being a better hockey player than last year's top Russian, Matvei Michkov. There are arguments to be made for, and against that claim- but consider this: In 2022-23, as a 16 year old, Demidov set the record for points by a U-18 player in the MHL, with 64 points in 44 games, besting the likes of Nikita Kucherov, and the aforementioned Michkov. It's hard to compare the Draft year of each player though, as Michkov played his in the top 2 Russian pro leagues against men in the KHL (20 points in 27 games), and the VHL (14 points in 12 Games), while Demidov has played almost the entire year in the MHL, Russia's version of Major-Junior, piling up 45 points in 23 games to date with SKA-1946 St.Petersburg. Demidov has had brief stints in the higher leagues, spending 1 game in the VHL, and 4 games in the KHL, putting up zero points in both. An argument could be made in favor of Michkov being the better player, as he was good enough to play with men, while Demidov apparently is not, but the fact of the matter is that Michkov was way too good for the MHL- but so too, is Demidov. Another thing to consider is that for most of the year leading up to Michkov's Draft, he was compared to incumbent first-overall choice, Connor Bedard. This year, in Demidov's Draft year, he's being compared to Michkov. I don't hear a lot of comparisons between Demidov and this year's Draft darling, Macklin Celebrini.
Ivan Demidov is the flashiest, most exciting player in this year's crop, and if the Draft were based on talent alone, he would be top-2 for sure. He is simply an electrifying game-breaker, with exceptional skill. The first pillar of Demidov's game is his otherworldly puck skill and handling- he's an absolute wizard with hands faster than his quick feet, the puck just sticks to him. He can deke around, or through multiple layers of opponents without looking like he's even trying, much like the old adage, he "has the puck on a string". It seems like when he's out on the ice, he's always around the puck, like there's a magnet drawing them together- it just follows him around. Those same silky soft mitts can unleash a hard, heavy shot with a release as quick as a hiccup, and the precision to pick the smallest holes.
Demidov is highly elusive with his stick, but his feet make him even more slippery. He has dynamic mobility, with elite edges and agility, and the ability to turn on a dime. His shiftiness and lateral mobility can throw off opponents, and dismantle defenses. His straight-line speed may be a notch below the level of his evasiveness, but even still- there are very few that could catch him in a footrace with the puck. There are even fewer who can match his elite vision and creativity, and his high IQ gives him smarts in all 3 zones. He can create in small spaces, and can thread the needle through traffic. Demidov is well-trained in the art of deception and manipulation, and can freeze defenders with his array of dekes, look-offs, and fakes with his body and stick. He has a swagger when carrying the puck, and he's highly sucessful in transition, often carrying the puck from the defensive zone, and turning it into a controlled entry on his own. Demidov is a play-driver, and a pace-pusher. He plays with energy, and works hard in the offensive zone to win back possession, and pick off passes when needed- he's known to have a very high motor.
Demidov's defensive game can be very inconsistent- he can look like a stalwart one shift, and like he's outmatched in another. I don't think he has the same passion for the defensive zone as he does in creating in the other end of the rink, and there can be an apparent lack of intensity in the performance of these duties. There's no real physical component to his game, and that's fine if he wants to be a finesse player- but it would seem that he doesn't like to be hit, and can be sometimes thrown off his game by physicality. Part of that might have something to do with his lack of size and strength, as he currently weighs in less than 170 lb- so he could certainly use more strength and bulk. It's been a very difficult year for a young man who is being watched by the entire hockey world, and to make matters worse, he missed two and a half months to a knee injury. He often grandstands to showcase himself, trying to do too much on his own, which doesn't always turn out well- he can give up turnovers by trying to make everything a 1-on-1 scenario, without using his teammates. This can lead to dead-ends, turnovers, and giveaways. He was an analytics darling in 2022-23, but even his fancy stats have taken a hit this season. At any rate, he has things to work on, but he reminds many of Kirill Kaprizov, and he's a first-line winger all day long. I think if Michkov lasted until pick # 7 in 2023, it's certainly possible that Demidov falls out of the top 5 in this year's Draft, although he has a more palatable contract situation than Michkov did, as he’s only signed in Russia through 2024-25. He’s sure to be a top-line player in the NHL.