Montreal Canadiens’ Ivan Demidov’s Improvement Has Followers In A Fuss

When the Montreal Canadiens walked up on stage in Las Vegas on the 2024 NHL draft, the most important title on the board was Russian winger Ivan Demidov. An uber-talented, extremely expert playmaker who has the flash and aptitude of probably the most thrilling gamers on the earth whereas bringing the drive and motor that makes good gamers nice. The choice was simple for the Canadiens, deciding on Demidov who immediately grew to become probably the most intriguing prospect that they’ve had in at the very least a decade.

When interviewed in his post-selection scrum in Vegas, the charismatic younger ahead was saying all the proper issues. He spoke about bringing the same “Mamba Mentality” to Montreal that NBA legend Kobe Bryant as soon as dropped at Los Angeles. He mentioned that he’s able to be the game-breaking expertise that Montreal has been lacking. He made jokes that he was already studying French, parroting “Bonjour” with amusing.

Most significantly, Demidov mentioned that after the 2024-25 season the place he’s contracted to play with St. Petersburg within the KHL, that he can be coming to North America to affix the Montreal Canadiens.

Habs followers have been ecstatic with the addition to their prospect pool. They knew that the yr wait could be properly well worth the reward as a result of the attract of Demidov’s expertise was practically unknown to the fanbase. Followers have been ready to publish each level on X and put collectively spotlight mixtapes for TikTok and Instagram. There could be no second of intrigue that might go undocumented because of the extremely passionate followers of Le Habitants.

Demidov confirmed out in KHL pre-season motion, posting nice outcomes and searching like a harmful offensive participant for St. Petersburg. His agility, ability, and playmaking have been legit difference-making elements for the KHL membership. Worries about Demidov’s taking part in time in his remaining KHL season a bit misguided as his expertise was profitable out and incomes him common reps and good offensive alternatives.

By way of his first 9 video games within the KHL, Demidov was averaging simply over 13 minutes of motion each night time. He performed at the very least 10 minutes on the low finish and reached 16 minutes on one event. Demidov recorded seven factors in these first 9 video games, highlighted by a four-point night time within the sport which noticed him given probably the most ice time. Demidov actually incomes his roster spot and an everyday shift all through the season’s first month. His spectacular play earned him KHL Rookie of the Month.

Because the calendar flipped to October, St. Petersburg coach Roman Rotenberg determined that he wanted to use some stress to Demidov and problem the younger budding star to be higher. His ice time has been drastically diminished all through October, averaging simply over 6:30 per sport, reaching the 10-minute mark simply as soon as within the eight-game stretch. Demidov noticed lower than 4:30 in three video games with a low of three:17 towards Dinamo on Oct. 10.

This drastic drop-off in taking part in time has had Canadiens followers nervous. They’ve questioned why their future star was being reined in and stripped of his alternative to develop his sport. So why precisely has Demidov’s position with St. Petersburg seemingly disappeared in a single day?

From a improvement perspective, the truth of the scenario is that the KHL isn’t within the enterprise of creating gamers for the NHL. As a lot as followers of the Canadiens need their participant to be given all the alternative, it was by no means going to be simple for Demidov to get top-end deployment.

It’s not a brand new factor both. Philadephia Flyers followers handled this with Matvei Michkov earlier than his mortgage from St. Petersburg to Sochi final season. Canucks followers handled issues when Vasili Podkolzin was with St. Petersburg a couple of years in the past.

Demidov’s ice-time issues are heightened by the dimensions of the Montreal market. The protection of the crew in each French and English solely will increase the possibility that followers will get riled up and indignant as a result of they need what’s greatest for his or her prized prospect.

In an interview with Marco D’Amico of RG.org, Rotenberg defined that he isn’t seeking to stunt Demidov’s improvement. It’s extra about placing stress on the younger offensive expertise and making certain that he is aware of that on daily basis is a contest for enjoying time in St. Petersburg.

“There’s enormous competitors for a spot in our lineup. To beat out these veterans for ice time, it’s a must to push exhausting throughout follow. You may’t simply depend on your expertise to achieve success,” Rotenberg mentioned. “As an alternative, it’s a must to show full dedication and most focus. I don’t assume {that a} participant can solely depend on his expertise to be included within the lineup of an NHL crew. It’s good to be stronger than different gamers at that individual second in time.”

Pushing Demidov to compete for his taking part in time isn’t essentially a foul factor. It retains a hearth lit underneath him and if Rotenberg follows via together with his promise to provide him extra as he earns it, Demidov ought to have the ability to keep motivated. Rotenberg appeared to provide him that further run just lately after noting that he’s been working in follow to earn it.

“Even in our earlier sport towards Avtomobilist, we trusted Ivan within the dire moments after we have been trailing and wanted a aim to get again within the sport,” defined Rotenberg. “Our essential precedence is to win video games, and we’re doing every little thing attainable to make sure that our gamers are centered on contributing to our crew’s success. Demidov is not any exception right here.”

The main target for St. Petersburg is to maintain Demidov within the KHL which additionally occurs to be the best-case situation for Montreal. Whereas Demidov remains to be eligible to go right down to the MHL, the Russian junior circuit, his play there final yr proved that he has nothing left to show on the junior stage. The VHL, the Russian second stage, is an possibility, however Rotenberg gave the impression to be pretty sure that it wouldn’t be within the plan. All events concerned appear set on holding Demidov within the KHL.

Whereas there have been rumors that Demidov’s ice-time discount was on account of him turning down a contract extension together with his Russian membership, it doesn’t actually matter if that’s true. Demidov is just too high-end of a expertise to utterly maintain out of the lineup and St. Petersburg and Rotenberg appear to have a great relationship with Montreal’s entrance workplace, noting that they’re in communication to make sure Demidov is given the most effective improvement attainable whereas sustaining the crew’s excessive requirements.

A very powerful factor is whether or not the event in Demidov’s sport is being actually affected by the deployment that he’s obtained to date within the KHL. So far, there doesn’t appear to be any indication that it has from a statistical standpoint or from viewing the sport tape. Demidov nonetheless brings lots of the constructive traits that enticed Montreal, and the areas of weak point in his sport have proven progress and enchancment.

Demidov’s creativity has all the time been the hallmark of his sport. His potential to course of the passing lanes as they develop permits him to make a few of the most spectacular passes of any participant his age. Demidov is a excessive expert puck handler as properly and we’ve seen flashes of that all through this season, utilizing his electrical palms to evade stress and alter angles on passing or taking pictures lanes. His tempo and energy are each elements which have allowed him to proceed enhancing in these areas amongst others.

There’s a uniqueness to his skating that has brought about some to query whether or not he’s going to should adapt on the subsequent stage, significantly together with his constant use of the 10-2 skating fashion and a few of his makes an attempt at merely slipping by gamers alongside the boards due to his quickness. He makes use of loads of head fakes and running-back-style one-step jukes which might be performed to attract a defender into making a transfer in a single path earlier than a cutback. This stuff work when used on the proper time and there are nonetheless moments wherein Demidov wants to acknowledge that it isn’t the time for it on the KHL stage however there was some progress in that regard.

Fortunately for the Habs and St. Petersburg, Demidov’s drive and energy stage aren’t a priority. His defensive sport is a serious space of progress, exhibiting enchancment final season and persevering with to turn into a extra well-rounded 200-foot participant this yr. He’s continued to deliver a extra bodily edge, even when it simply comes within the type of leveraging his energy and positioning on the boards or on the forecheck. Demidov is all the time working to win puck races, safe the puck in a battle alongside the boards or search out the puck when his crew doesn’t have it.

Demidov, like lots of the sport’s greatest and most inventive playmakers, goes to make some errors. He’ll miss on targets when making a cross that few different gamers might even conceptualize. Whether or not it’s Mitch Marner or Connor McDavid, the NHL’s greatest passers all make errors. Demidov has the identical difference-making creativity and ability that gamers like which have which makes the distinction in how they keep efficient regardless of the odd errant cross or turnover. His potential to restrict these errors has improved over time and certain will proceed to enhance as he adapts extra to professional hockey.

So now we’re again to the query of whether or not Demidov’s improvement has been detrimentally affected by his deployment dip in latest video games and whether or not Canadiens followers ought to be nervous. Until Demidov begins sitting out of video games or isn’t being deployed in any respect and the message from St. Petersburg adjustments, there may be little purpose to fret. The younger Russian can be in Bleu, Blanc et Rouge within the fall, taking part in in Montreal the place they are going to have full management over how he develops.

Ultimately, a yr of challenges and adversity could finally be good for Demidov. He’s a pushed younger man who is aware of what he desires from his NHL profession. He is aware of that to turn into a difference-maker and game-breaker, he might want to push via something in his means. One season wherein he’s tasked with proving himself over and past worthy of ice time isn’t going to affect his improvement in a really detrimental means.

Breathe, Canadiens followers. The charismatic Russian who desires to channel his internal Kobe within the mecca of hockey taking part in for probably the most passionate fanbase on the earth is coming. A bump within the highway isn’t going to impede him from attaining his aim of serving to Montreal get again to their championship-winning methods.

Related: Montreal Canadiens Show Important Feistiness In Their New Phase

Related: 2025 NHL Draft Notebook: Highly Rated Hagens, Misa And Eklund Star Early

Related: NHL Captains For 2024-25: By The Numbers