Growing up, plenty of players will try and pattern their game off of their hockey heroes.
They look to the pros to model their skating, shooting, passing, stick-handling, and face-offs on. They pick apart players abilities and try to implement specific techniques into their own game.
Not Ivan Demidov.
“I’m Ivan Demidov,” he smiled. “In hockey, I haven’t (any) idols. I liked maybe a couple of guys who played in the NHL but I like my style. I think I don’t want to be like other guys.
“I want to be myself, be Ivan Demidov.”
That kind of self-awareness and confidence in his skill set has set him apart from the bulk of this year’s NHL Draft class. The dynamic Russian forward heads into this week’s event touted as one of the most skilled, creative wingers available thanks to his incredible junior career in his native Russia.
In 30 games with SKA St. Petersburg’s MHL club, he scored 23 goals and 60 points and was a plus-47 in the regular season. In the playoffs, he kept going, scoring 11 goals and 28 points in 17 postseason skates, leading his club to an MHL Championship.
He was named the MHL’s West Forward Of The Month in December, January, and February, was dubbed the league’s Most Valuable Player, put up the best plus/minus ranking in the playoffs (plus-19), and also led the MHL in postseason goals and points.
Not too shabby of a draft-eligible season.
In total, he’s played 99 regular-season MHL games, scoring 52 goals and 145 points, boasting a plus-71 rating through his career.
His offensive dominance in the MHL led him to being named the NHL Central Scouting’s second-ranked European skater in their final listings but where he will up being drafted has been a bit of a question mark.
He’s thrived in the MHL but has limited KHL experience and has not played internationally like many of his draft-eligible peers. He has also dealt with injuries this past year, one which will keep him off the ice until after the NHL Draft.
He recently met with multiple teams in Florida, getting to know general managers and scouts and giving them a feel for his game, his personality, and his future career aspirations.
“For all players who started to work from childhood, want to be NHL players. For me, same. I want to play in the NHL.”
As for the injury, Demidov expects to be on his skates very soon.
“I think maybe one more week,” was his reply when asked about his timeline to return to the ice.
Looking ahead to next season and beyond, Demidov knows exactly what he can bring to the team that drafts him this week and what he wants to work on to get him into the NHL as soon as he can.
“I’m a playmaker. If it’s needed, I can score but I think I’m more a playmaker than a scorer," he said. “I think more strength. I want to be more explosive on the ice. Other skills, I have, to be NHL player.”
