Why Ivan Demidov is worth the risk at the 2024 NHL Draft

Steven Ellis
Steven Ellis
Ivan Demidov (Yuri Kuzmin/KHL)
Credit: Ivan Demidov (Yuri Kuzmin/KHL)

Does it feel like deja vu?

Remember all the hoopla and hubbub about Matvei Michkov last year? Throughout most of 2023-24, we’ve dealt with the same questions surrounding Ivan Demidov, whom Daily Faceoff has ranked as the No. 2 prospect for the 2024 NHL Draft.

And to a point, it makes sense. He plays in Russia, where most teams have a limited scouting presence. Most teams finally got a chance to talk to Demidov for the first time in person just last week in a camp put on by his agent, Gold Star’s Dan Milstein.

Fortunately for Demidov, teams were impressed. For starters, Demidov checked in at six-foot and 192 pounds, helping to dispel the rumors that he was going to be too small for the NHL. And while he kept his involvement in the camp to just chats and didn’t participate in the on-ice action, teams came out feeling much better about the most mysterious high-end prospect available this year.

“Everyone’s talking about him, and it’s all good stuff,” one source in attendance said. “Seems like teams have fewer questions than before.”

The big thing for evaluators is that Demidov’s English is quite good – better than Michkov’s last year. Demidov has been working all season with a translator, and while he’s still not perfect, he’s more than capable of doing it himself. And then there’s the contract conversation – Milstein told reporters that Demidov has no intentions of re-upping with a KHL team once his deal ends next spring. Compare that to Michkov, who spoke almost no English, only met with a handful of teams and had next-to-no discussions with the Philadelphia Flyers regarding the next steps in his career for much of the season before Sunday’s news broke that he was coming to North America.

With those roadblocks out of the way for Demidov – and his three-inch vertical increase since the start of the season – it’s time to let the games begin.

From a pure skill perspective, this draft class might not have a more talented player. He’s no stranger to highlight-reel goals, and he knows how to produce with 60 points in 30 games with SKA-1946 St. Petersburg in the top Russian junior league. Demidov missed significant time with an injury, but his 2.00 point-per-game average was miles ahead of anything we’ve seen in MHL history.

Demidov kept the fun going in the playoffs, scoring 11 goals and 28 points in 17 games. An ankle injury (in addition to his two previous knee ailments) ended his postseason run early, but he’s expected to get back onto the ice in about two weeks.

Demidov began the year with a four-game stint with SKA’s KHL team. However, despite a promising preseason, he received limited ice time at the start of the year and was consequently sent back to junior. While it was disappointing at first, as it would have been exciting to see him attempt to match Michkov’s production from a year ago, Demidov received significant ice time and had the opportunity to influence games in a way that few others could. Nevertheless, Demidov should be a full-time scoring threat in the KHL next year.

But then, that’s it. Straight to the NHL for a player many scouts expect to be a 90-plus point producer one day.

“(Macklin) Celebrini is the best prospect in this draft class, and nobody is going to disagree,” a scout said. “But Demidov will keep things close from a numbers perspective.”

From a stylistic perspective, Demidov has so much going for him. He’s extremely creative, has quick hands, is good on his feet and makes smart decisions with the puck. Demidov will beat players with a stutter-step move that confuses defensemen, and his release is incredibly deceptive in a few ways. He’ll lull you into thinking he’s going up high before beating a goaltender between the legs. Other times, he’ll wind up before purposely shooting much softer. Scouts love his release, but how he chooses to use it makes it difficult to stop.

It’s not uncommon for players who produce as much offense as Demidov to suffer in their own zone, but that’s simply not the case here. He’s so dedicated to playing a 200-foot game while also throwing around his body, even if physicality isn’t a big part of his game yet. Demidov has such a good read for the game at both ends, and he’s an outstanding transitional player, too.

“Demidov has so much high-end, projectable skill,” a scout said. “He can shoot, read plays, all at an extremely high level. Size isn’t a concern. The overall package is very translatable to the NHL.”

His biggest weakness is his skating, and it’s not even that bad. It can be a bit choppy, and he lacks high-end top speed that could make him a serious burner. There has been some improvement over the past few years—his increased physical strength has allowed him to showcase a bit more acceleration—but it’s not anywhere near the level of Celebrini, Berkly Catton, Tij Iginla, or even Cayden Lindstrom. That’s fixable, though, and it’s at a good enough starting point that it shouldn’t take long for an NHL coaching staff to get him on the right track.

With the hands, vision and hockey IQ that Demidov displays, he should go early in the 2024 draft. Many believe the Chicago Blackhawks will go with a defenseman at No. 2, but having Demidov and Connor Bedard setting each other up for the next two decades is too exciting to pass up.

The Russian Factor isn’t an issue here. We know he’s coming in due time. So, what excuse is there not to bet heavily on pure skill? There’s a legitimate argument for Chicago and Anaheim to take a defenseman at No. 2 and 3. But after that, it would feel like a serious mistake for a team to skip on Demidov’s brilliance with the puck.

“He’s got a bit of Kirill Kaprizov, a bit of Nikita Kucherov,” another scout said. “It’s rare to find a prospect not projected to go No. 1 with this much pure skill. Nobody has a higher ceiling in this draft. He’s the real deal.”

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