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The most underestimated aspect of Ivan Demidov is his defensive game

 Emily Smith
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The most underestimated aspect of Ivan Demidov is his defensive game
Credit: Getty Images

When the Habs drafted Ivan Demidov, they did so with one goal in mind: to see the young Russian fill the opposing net for years to come. The kid is loaded with talent, and if he reaches his full potential, he’ll be an offensive force for a long time to come in the NHL.

He has the talent to be a player who can single-handedly win games for his team.

Obviously, scoring points will be his bread and butter in the NHL. He won’t be there to be an energy player on a fourth line, let’s say…

But that doesn’t mean he’ll be a defensive stalker.

In fact, earlier today, Grant McCagg chatted a bit about the youngster via his X account… and there he went with the following statement:

The most underrated aspect of Demidov’s game is his defensive play. – Grant McCagg

McCagg explains his point by saying that in the MHL last year, Demidov was only on the ice for 0.24 opposing goals per game. In other words, he was on the ice for an opponent’s goal once in every four games.

This is obviously an excellent mark, despite the fact that he wasn’t playing in a high-caliber league. In fact, it’s especially interesting in a context where he’s a primarily offensive player, and his club was better defensively when Demidov was on the ice than when he was on the bench.

Of course, this probably doesn’t mean that Martin St-Louis will make him play short-handed. That said, the fact that his defensive game isn’t bad means he’s unlikely to be a black hole in his zone, a big advantage for such an offensively talented player.

After the question of his size, now that we realize he’s bigger than we initially thought, his defensive game is another doubt that seems to be dissipating.

This could mean that the Habs wouldn’t have to avoid lumping him in with Lane Hutson, a primarily offensive-minded defenseman, on a numerically equal footing. And if Demidov, an offensive prodigy, can combine his efforts with a defenseman coming off a historic offensive season in the NCAA, there are opposing goalies who won’t find it funny.

It may be a while before we see Demidov and Hutson combine their efforts in the city, but if both guys can make the transition to the NHL and reach their full potential, the Habs will really be in the car.

Because, along with David Reinbacher, they’re the organization’s most important prospects.


Overtime

– Notice to all interested.

– The question arises.

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