You’ve heard of Matvei Michkov, now meet his twin flame: Ivan Demidov! The two players have a lot in common (similar size, same position of RW), but the main area they differentiate is how they score: Michkov wants to score goals, Demidov is more of a playmaker–both are exceptionally talented.
Demidov’s been hovering around the top five of the 2024 draft for a while now, but lately he’s started separating himself from the crop of high-end defensemen and becoming the clear second best talent available after Macklin Celebrini–at least at forward. With rumors of Michkov coming over sooner than expected and the Flyers getting goaltender Ivan Fedotov to North America out of the blue after all he was put through, teams may feel less hesitation drafting Russians this high. Demidov certainly has the chops to be a top three pick.
Pre-draft rankings
No. 2 by Elite Prospects
No. 2 by Sportsnet
No. 6 by TSN (Bob McKenzie)
No. 2 by The Athletic (Scott Wheeler)
Statistics
What’s there to like?
A lot: Demidov has unreal puck skills and is a playmaker to his core. He finished third in scoring in the MHL last year as an underager, and tore the MHL up again this year after making KHL SKA St. Petersburg out of camp (yes, that’s Michkov’s team, too) before being sent back down a couple games into the season where he put up 60 points in 30 games. He didn’t slow down in the playoffs, either, putting up 28 in 17. Add the prolific scoring together with the puck skills, and Demidov could be a star winger on a contending team.
For a smaller player, Demidov’s pretty sturdy, too, and competes like hell. He’s drawn a lot of comparisons to Michkov (similar size, same position, crazy skilled), but Demidov’s game projects better as a pro–call it maturity, call it “willing to play an iota of defense,” call it whatever, but scouts seem to think the transition to the NHL for Demidov could go a little smoother than other prospects with similar profiles.
What’s not to like?
We all know how NHL GMs like their big bois, and Demidov? A big boi, he is not. The fact that he projects as a winger at the NHL level is another strike against him, as it’s usually premium positions (like center) that warrant such high draft picks. Third, much like Michkov, there are questions about Demidov’s skating: he’s not bad, per se, but he isn’t a burner; Demidov’s likely going to be nimble enough on his edges to make up for a lack of speed, but it’s a something to keep an eye on.
Then there is, of course, the Russia factor. As mentioned earlier, however, Fedotov’s arrival and Michkov’s rumored early arrival may be putting GMs at ease when it comes to drafting Russian prospects: there’s less fear that the geopolitical machinations of Vladimir Putin will prevent high-end players from leaving the country. Demidov’s KHL contract is, currently, less of an issue as well, as it expires at the end of the 2024-25 season–he’d be able to come over quite soon. All that said though, the Blackhawks (who are drafting second) might still be wary of using such a high pick on a player with those risks attached, even though those risks are significantly diminished from even just last year.
How would he fit in the Flyers’ system?
This is an intriguing question. Demidov projects as a winger, and his playmaking ability would be a perfect complement to Michkov’s goal scoring–plus, they already have some familiarity with one another as teammates at SKA St. Petersburg. The Flyers desperately need help on the power play, and Demidov’s got what it takes to generate a lot of opportunity on the man advantage.
The trickier part is: where does he actually fit on the roster? Right wing is probably the deepest position in the Flyers organization; Demidov’s a surefire top-six RW if he hits, but the Flyers already have natural right wings in Michkov, Owen Tippett, Tyson Foerster, Bobby Brink, and Travis Konecny–and that’s just on the current roster! Someone’s going to have to play left wing! It’s a petty gripe (a high-end player is always a good thing to have), but it’s not a position the Flyers should be targeting.
Could the Flyers actually get him?
The good news is there’s almost no way the Flyers have to make that decision! Demidov’s been ascending draft rankings as we draw nearer to draft day, and is turning into something of a consensus number two–at least based on skill alone. The Flyers won’t be saying Demidov’s name on stage barring some wild trades or an unexpected drop.
What scouts are saying
He’s got the most individual puck skill in the class but I’ve also heard good things about his work ethic on and off the ice and he has developed some layers to his game so that he’s not a one-trick pony as a dancing offensive zone player.
Scott Wheeler – The Athletic
Demidov has been the best player in Russia’s junior league over the last two seasons. He has game-breaking skill and is extremely creative in making plays with the puck. He has an excellent motor, attacks the net consistently and competes hard to win pucks.
Corey Pronman – The Athletic
Welcome to the poll…
Say hello to Berkly Catton! The smooth skating, high scoring center would be a gem for the Flyers to get.
He’s dangerous whenever he’s on the puck and shines with his knifing, slippery game. Inside the offensive zone, the way he baits and shades, drawing players to him and then playmaking past them with a pass or a cut, is pretty impressive to watch. Catton is a heady playmaker who uses spacing to his advantage and sees the ice at an advanced level, regularly executing quick plays through coverage or delaying into a pre-planned play. He’s got multi-dimensional skill, with an ability to play both with speed on the rush (he’s a smooth, fast and nimble high-end skater) and more slowly inside the offensive zone when the pace ramps down and he has to spin away from pressure (which he does so well). He’s got great instincts offensively. He tracks back consistently and will get up and under sticks to win his fair share of battles, with more room to round out his game defensively (mostly inside his own zone).
Scott Wheeler, The Athletic
Previously on the 2024 BSH Community Draft Board:
- Macklin Celebrini
- Ivan Demidov
- ????
