Ivan Demidov: The 2024 NHL Draft’s Worst Kept Secret
A Russian Sensation… Where’s The Recognition?
Constantly throughout these past five months we’ve been hearing nothing but how good Macklin Celebrini is. Don’t get me wrong, as a Freshman putting up 26 goals and 48 points in just 30 games (not to mention in arguably the hardest conference to play in in the country) is absurd. Not only that, but Celebrini has impressed in a multitude of ways that include way more than just his goal scoring. Celebrini is a fantastic thinker of the game, but if we’re going to mention Macklin’s name the other name that always seems to be trailing one of those conversations is Russian Draft sensation Ivan Demidov.
As a 15 year-old, Demidov was already lighting up every age group of Russian competition reminiscent of countryman phenom Matvei Michkov. In the 2020-21 season, Demidov would spend time in three age levels spanning from U16 play all the way up to U18 - notching a total of 34 goals along with 31 assists (65 total points) in a mere 31 total games throughout all league play that season; never putting up less than above a point per game in each age bracket. During a weaker draft class that season, Demidov would start to draw some eyes but not nearly as many as North American counterparts like Cole Eiserman, Macklin Celebrini, Berkly Catton and Sam Dickinson. This would propel Demidov into an even more impressive 2022 campaign that saw him make his MHL debut for St. Petersburg. Bouncing around the SKA programs, Ivan Demidov would finally find a home with the well renowned SKA-1946 club that has produced NHL players such as Artemi Panarin, Nikita Gusev, Alexander Barbonov, and most recently Matvei Michkov.
Despite this, Demidov still seemed like the tail or back end of many Draft conversations. The “Oh yeah, that skilled guy in Russia,” or “Yeah, he’s pretty good,” comments were filling the air that picked up Demidov’s name. No serious recognition was being given out unless you were paying close attention to the 2024 class, and the players in that class’ developments.
Opening Eyes On An International Scale
Enter the 2022-23 MHL season. Demidov would erupt, boasting 60 points in 42 games while constantly showing elite playmaking, hands and offensive skill almost every time he touched the ice. He was a player now that you couldn’t help but notice. Everytime he touched the ice magic seemed to happen - and when the puck was on his stick you better not blink. Pairing with Matvei Michkov himself, Demidov was able to learn from the highly touted prospect during their time in the MHL as teammates. While both players sported and still have relatively similar, skinny frames that didn’t seem to harm either of them. As when they got the puck on their stick no one seemed to be able to touch them. Cap all this success off with a MHL All-Star selection, and MHL MVP, Demidov had finally broken through and everyone that was in touch with the NHL Draft seemed to know that his stock was on the rise.
The Russian star came into 2023-24 flying higher than ever. During preseason KHL action, with most veterans sitting out, Demidov would impress with his shot and quickness. Seemingly flooding the Twitter (X) world with videos of him squaring up the goaltender from twenty-plus feet out before ripping a shot past a goaltender wishing to make a KHL roster just like Demidov; and that he would. In early September, Demidov would finally get his chance against possibly the highest level of professional hockey in Europe. Similarly to Michkov (who was now in the HK Sochi organization), Demidov had earned time in the pro ranks. But it would be how he adjusted to the level, and pressure of play that would determine early whether or not he could truly run away with that glooming 1st overall pick status.
Rebounding After A Tough Start
To put it bluntly, it didn’t go as planned. Everyone knew the talent of Demidov, and everyone knew that despite the talent, the KHL (and other European pro leagues for that matter) had a knack for making star young players earn their ice time - if you didn’t impress in the little time you had, say goodbye to any time at all. The most ice time he would record through his four game stint with St. Petersburg in the KHL would be 12 minutes and 22 seconds against a middle of the pack HK Lada Togliatti team, in which he didn’t record a single point. The lowest moment for Demidov would come against Spartak Moskva where he only managed to earn 2 minutes and 45 seconds of total ice time the entire game; overall rounding out his KHL tour with a single shot on goal through 4 games, playing just under a total of 30 minutes through those games. At this moment exactly, people had started to cool down on Demidov. His KHL stint wouldn’t decline his Draft stock, as people still knew what a fantastic offensive player he was, but it wouldn’t improve nearly as much as it could’ve if he had enjoyed the same success as Matvei Michkov did in his Draft year.
The biggest question for Demidov now was how he would respond. And boy did he put NHL Draft coverage on notice all over the world. 9, 19, and 28. That’s the stat line of how many goals, assists and points (in that order) that Demidov has in his last 10 games in the NHL as of February 25th. Oh, and he also hasn’t had a game this season where he’s played a negative +/- rating the entire MHL season. Putting on full display his immense talent, creativity and hockey IQ that has even been challenged by Celebrini in the Draft. Demidov is the type of player to take the puck and and just stickhandle with it for a shift straight, but you never get bored watching it because the moves he’s pulling off are some you’ve never even seen before, at least at the speed he’s doing them at. The way he warms up before games could be most players highlight reels for games - that’s how good he is. His skating is nothing short of smooth and majestic. He glides around the ice with such purity and precision that he looks like a blur, so hard to catch not simply because of his speed, but because of his uncanny edgework. When you match this with his ability to always know where his teammates are on the ice, it’s unbelievable how much of a threat he is to score and to create scoring chances. If you ever wondered what the hockey version of Bo Jackson in tecmo bowl would be, it’s Demidov playing against MHL defenseman. The production that we’ve seen from him to this point has never been matched, literally. He’s setting records while staying stagnant on Draft boards which begs the question: what more does he have to do to surpass Celebrini? Or has he already done it, we just won’t take it into consideration because we can’t watch him play every night on the Northeastern Sports Network like we can with Celebrini.
Demidov vs. Michkov
Many have asked the question of “Who’s better?” because of the stylistic and national comparison between Demidov and Michkov. To me, it’s still a toss up only because we have already seen Michkov perform at the KHL level extremely well, and to a certain degree historically well. However what Demidov is doing has already beaten what Michkov was doing at the same age. So if they were both in this year’s Draft my hat tips to Demidov. You can tell how he’s fed off of the teaching of Michkov, and how his hands and elusiveness are a near perfect modeling of Michkov’s. I also think that it is a slight advantage that Demidov has a tad bigger frame to fill out, standing at 5’11” while Michkov is around 5' 10". In my opinion, Demidov’s skating is superior to Michkov’s even if he is smooth in his own right and can evade the opposition with ease. With Demidov, it’s how balanced and easy he makes skating look. Alas, only time will tell which Russian dynamo will have a bigger impact in the NHL.
Seeing Shades Of Green
So taking in the comparisons, the stats, the competition he’s accompanied himself with in the Draft, and finally what I think he’ll become on an NHL-level, Demidov should be getting way more attention than his hyped-up season has been getting him. In terms of an NHL comparison, Demidov has proven on a night-to-night basis his Kirill Kaprizov-like playing style. Many will point to Kucherov because of the Hockey IQ, and recognition of Kucherov’s name when it comes to Russian hockey players. Despite this, when watching both of them play, there’s no better all around comparable to Demidov than Kaprizov. The tools, the IQ, the playmaking, but most of all the skating and edgwork is what draws me towards the 2015 5th round pick as a better stylistic choice over someone like Kucherov, or Panarin.
Everyone has seen the potential, and everyone that has gotten within a iPhone screen touch of an Ivan Demidov highlight reel knows every bit of talent he possesses. It’s not quixotic to project him as a player that will run the NHL for years to come, so the next time Craig Button or Bob McKenzie have Demidov at 6th in their rankings, I’d advise you three things: sit down, grab a snack, and turn on an SKA-St. Petersburg MHL game. Watch as each defender that is put in his path is carefully and thoroughly broken down with a quick set of puck touches and footwork. Watch as he skates in on a mohawk stance right into the slot, and zips a puck to an open teammate while three guys are closing in on him. I can’t extend his Draft stock just as far as I want to, because I did put him at 2nd in my mid-season rankings behind Celebrini, just like every other major ranking website (and most of the time websites have had him lower than the clear 2nd best prospect available). Until I can come to an undefined conclusion that Demidov is the best prospect in this year’s Draft when I post another set of rankings (possibly March, most likely April/May), I’ll have to wait as he continues to tear up European hockey; and soon the KHL.