Hockey

Advanced stats: Ivan Demidov is even more useful as a defender than a forward
Maxime Truman
Advanced stats: Ivan Demidov is even more useful as a defender than a forward
Credit: Getty Images

Some things can be taught in hockey, others cannot.

Skating, passing and turning like (almost) only Ivan Demidov knows how to do on an ice rink, you can't show that to a player. The guy either has it… or he doesn't. And most of the time, if you're not Demidov, you don't have it.

Since Demidov was moved to the first power play – and Juraj Slafkovsky replaced Zachary Bolduc in the slot – the Canadiens have been averaging around four goals a game.

Even though he's only 19, the Russian forward is already an important cog in the Montreal attack. He scored five points on the powerplay and seven points at even strength. Imagine if he could rely on better teammates than Oliver Kapanen and Alex Newhook at five-on-five..

Two statistics impress me when it comes to Ivan Demidov's start to the season.

1. 11 of Demidov's 12 points are primary goals or assists; he has only one secondary assist.

That means Demidov has only picked up a secondary assist once so far this season. When he does get a point, it's because he puts it in himself or delivers a great pass to a teammate who finishes his play.

2. According to AdvancedHockey Stats' advanced statistical models, Ivan Demidov is better at defending than attacking. #EVOffence #EVDefence

Basically, this statistical map tells us that Demidov has had a positive impact on the Canadiens' scoring chances since the start of the season, but that he has an even greater impact on the fewer scoring chances his club allows when he's on the ice.

Of course, that doesn't take away from the fact that he's (fuc*ing) dominant in terms of goals, points and primary assists than the rest of his teammates. Demidov doesn't need 1001 chances to get on the scoresheet.

But the bottom line is that Demidov's defense isn't bad. Quite the contrary, in fact! He's excellent without the puck, and when he's on the ice, the Habs are in better shape than when he's not.

Rereading these last lines, I naturally wondered why Martin St-Louis only used Demidov an average of 14 minutes per game (the average time of a fourth-line player, according to Advanced Hockey Stats).

Demidov is clutch, unpredictable with the puck and more reliable than the average of his teammates without the puck. I think it's time to trust him even more.

Demidov has one more point than Matthew Schaefer since the start of the campaign; if he can be switched to a better center than Oliver Kapanen and spends three or four more minutes on the ice per game, it will be hard not to see him as THE favorite for the Calder Trophy.


overtime

– Good news.

– Big news in Toronto.

– Devils preview.

facebook icon Share twitter icon Tweet linkedin icon Share
Copied!