'I Try To Take His Mamba Mentality': Canadiens' Ivan Demidov Ready To Be a Game-Breaker
Ivan Demidov's sporting idol is Kobe Bryant. He wants to be the difference-maker the Montreal Canadiens need with the Mamba Mentality. And he feels ready – when the time comes.
The Montreal Canadiens had some help from Celine Dion as they selected Russian superstar winger Ivan Demidov fifth overall, and it didn’t take him long to impress fans and media alike at the NHL draft in Las Vegas.
“I am ready,” Demidov said when asked if he is ready to be the game-breaking talent the Habs have been missing. “Kobe Bryant is my idol in sports. I try to take his Mamba Mentality. It’s the first word I learned… killer instinct.”
Demidov’s high-end skill and cerebral offensive game are exactly what the Montreal Canadiens need. He goes out on the ice to put points on the board, and he intends to win every time he steps on the ice. It’s something that has been noted all season.
Demidov is a clinical assassin with the puck on his stick. He knows how to combine his wicked puck handling with his shifty feet to set up a brilliant pass. Demidov has a good shot that jumps off his stick to the perfect location. - Tony Ferrari's final draft ranking
“I think I win many games when I score the winning goal. I think I can be the game-breaker for Montreal,” explained Demidov.
He carries himself with confidence, and he wants to be the difference-maker. He looks at himself as a leader offensively. He has the work ethic needed to take his skill to the next level as well.
Without the puck, he’s as engaged as he is with it. He reads the game two or three steps ahead of his opponents. Defensively, he is locked in and wants to get the puck back so he can attack up ice.
His intensity and drive on the ice are balanced by his humor and welcoming smile off of it. Demidov will score a big goal in the biggest moment for the Canadiens, and you can be sure he will show just how much it means to him by getting as hyped as the fans in the stands.
He’s a flashy playmaker. Kobe Bryant is his idol, but he might as well go by 'Showtime' like Magic Johnson and the ’80s Lakers.
The young Russian is ready for the limelight of Montreal, but he understands he must fulfill his contract and deliver on his promise to SKA St. Petersburg in the KHL. He insisted he was coming over to the NHL at the end of next season. It’s why he took it upon himself to learn English – and eventually French, he joked as he threw out the limited knowledge of the language with a laugh.
Demidov has dedicated his life to the game of hockey. He grew up dreaming of playing in the NHL and one day hoisting the Stanley Cup. Now that he’s been drafted by the team that has more Cup championships than any team in the NHL, he will get to live that dream.
His glowing personality and chatty nature were on display while being surrounded by cameras and media and being thrown question after question. Demidov is ready for stardom in the NHL. He is ready for the hot box that is Montreal.
“The fans really love their hockey, and I really love hockey too,” Demidov said. “That’s why (the pressure of the market) not a problem for me.”
Demidov is right. Being the top offensive player for your team, finding comfort in the madness of playing in the Montreal market and loving the game of hockey the way he does – it’s a mindset.
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