Atlantic Division Preview: What if Canadiens’ Ivan Demidov is the real deal?

It’s difficult to separate the hype from the reality when it comes to talking about Montreal Canadiens prospects. The same can likely be said about the Maple Leafs too for what it’s worth, but the difference seems to be while Leafs fans believe every player is a can’t miss prospect, Canadiens fans tend to believe that every incoming first rounder is destined for the Hall of Fame. Lane Hutson winning the Calder last season may bring some credibility to their excitement but 50-goal scorer Cole Caufield (who has cracked 30 once in his career) and a humdrum first overall selection in Juraj Slafkovsky that is constantly on the verge of becoming elite is a reminder that even decent performing players have unrealistic expectations put on them.

Enter Ivan Demidov.

He’s already had his first taste of the NHL last season picking up a goal and an assist in his first two NHL games, which will certainly add to the hype. Demidov picking up two assists in five playoff games and finishing with a minus five for the series probably does throw cold water on the elite expectations but should at least be a reminder that there will be a learning curve for Demidov like any other prospect.

With the Canadiens already back in the playoffs, what does a potential Calder candidate level Demidov bring into the fold, and with a strong Panthers team, a perennial contender in Tampa, and now a rising threat in Montreal, how do the Leafs measure up now that they are attempting something new with a less top-heavy lineup?

Demidov is interesting as he is similar in a lot of ways to another Canadiens player that entered the league with plenty of hype. Patrik Laine. Both are dynamic players offensively that don’t rely on top end speed but rather edgework that goes along with the hands that can keep up. Both can cook something up with limited space and then have the shot to follow through on. Both have NHL size (Demidov slightly shorter). Both are aware enough to trust in defensive zone situations, and capable of carrying the puck out of trouble. The difference is that Demidov is more of a playmaker and is more capable as a puck mover, and in time the wider range of offensive options from him will make him a greater threat. In the short term, looking at Demidov as a .75 point per game player like Laine or most recent Calder winners seems like a fair bet. Adding Demidov into a lineup that has players like Suzuki, Caufield, Hutson, Slafkovsky, Kaiden Guhle, Alex Newhook, Kirby Dach, Zachary Bolduc, and even Noah Dobson on the upward part of their career trajectory makes the Canadiens a threat for continual improvement.

There is also the possibility that Demidov lives up to the expectations of Montreal fans and Ivan breaks into the NHL scene with the same impact as fellow countryman and favourite comparison, Kirill Kaprizov. His 51 point in 55 game debut might be an ideal outcome but at the very least is aspirational for the young Russian. The Canadiens having an additional point per game player to join Nick Suzuki at the top of their points leaderboard or at least challenge Cole Caufield for the second spot, while getting strong secondary performances from Slafkovsky, Bolduc, and Laine, then throwing in a capable supporting cast of Evans, Gallagher, Anderson, Dach, and Newhook starts making the Canadiens forward group seem like a threat if they can stay healthy.

The offensive support from the blueline via Dobson and Hutson is a plus as well, and if Montreal continues to get reliable goaltending, they could reasonably move beyond a wild card spot this season.

For the Leafs sake and for the sake of the Atlantic Division bubble teams, the best case scenario is that Demidov will require an adjustment period to the NHL and given that games played in April aren’t always the best indicator of future success, there is hope that the Canadiens are still a year away from a fully operational Ivan Demidov.