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NHL Draft expert makes bold claim about Canadiens rookie Ivan Demidov's future
On Friday, NHL draft expert Scott Wheeler spoke optimistically about Canadiens rookie Ivan Demidov's potential on The Sick Podcast with Tony Marinaro. Wheeler, who writes for The Athletic views Demidov as a potential NHL star. He praised Demidov's exceptional puck skills and ranked him highly among the 2024 draft prospects.
"I think Demidov has an opportunity to be a point/game, lead a team in scoring type of player in the NHL, I think he has an opportunity to make $8M-$10M bucks a year, he's a star," Wheeler said.
Wheeler ranked Demidov behind Matvei Michkov but praised his playmaking and strong defense. He thinks Demidov is one of the best creators he's ever seen:
"He's one of the most talented 1-on-1 individual creators that I have scouted in 11 years of doing this now," Wheeler added.
As Wheeler prepares to release his top-100 prospect rankings, he expects Demidov and Michkov to compete closely for the #1 position. Canadiens fans are excited about Demidov's debut and see him as important to handling high expectations in Montreal.
The Montreal Canadiens drafted Ivan Demidov 5th overall
On June 28, 2024, the Montreal Canadiens drafted Ivan Demidov fifth overall out of Russia's top junior league, the MHL. Demidov had a standout season with SKA St. Petersburg Jr., scoring 23 goals, and totaling 60 points in 30 games. During the playoffs, he added 28 points in 17 games, helping SKA St. Petersburg Jr. win the MHL Championship. Demidov's excellent performance led to him winning the MHL's Most Valuable Player award for the second year in a row.
At the 2021 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, Ivan Demidov played a key role in Russia's gold medal victory and scored five points in five games.
NHL Central Scouting praised his strong two-way skills on NHL.com.
“A two-way competitor with excellent offensive instincts and a winning attitude. A tremendous skater, excellent puck handler and passer with a great selection of shots. Not overly aggressive but does not shy away from tough situations.”
General Manager Kent Hughes is confident in their strategy and has focused on draft success to strengthen the roster for the future.
This is the seventh time the Canadiens picked fifth overall in the draft, notably choosing Carey Price in 2005 and David Reinbacher in 2023.
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