Pat Verbeek and Martin Madden have been confirmed to be in attendance for Gold Star Hockey's 2024 NHL Draft Prospect Showcase.
Pat Verbeek and Martin Madden have been confirmed to be in attendance for Gold Star Hockey's 2024 NHL Draft Prospect Showcase.
The NHL Scouting Combine took place in Buffalo, NY from June 3-8. NHL Entry Draft-eligible prospects were interviewed by requesting teams before going through various exercises, measurements, and assessments.
Gold Star Hockey is a sports management company currently running a pre-draft showcase with some of their draft-eligible clients and some recently drafted. The showcase began on June 18 and with run through June 23 in Ft. Lauderdale, FL.
Anaheim Ducks General Manager Pat Verbeek and Ducks Assistant General Manager/Director of Amateur Scouting Martin Madden are in attendance along with scouts and representatives from "more than a dozen" NHL teams, including the Chicago Blackhawks and Calgary Flames.
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Included in the list of players participating in various workouts, interviews, and/or on-ice activities are Ivan Demidov (Central Scouting's #2 ranked European skater), Artyom Levshunov (#2 ranked North American skater), and Zayne Parakh (#5 ranked North American skater).
Anaheim Ducks' recent third-round draft pick Coulson Pitre (65th overall in 2023) is also participating in the showcase.
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With the first overall selection belonging to the San Jose Sharks and their selection of forward Macklin Celebrini all but a formality at this point and reports of the Chicago Blackhawks "leaning" toward defenseman Artyom Levshunov with the second, what the Ducks decide to do with the third selection is seemingly the first inflection point of the 2024 NHL Draft.
With some potentially positive news coming out of the Gold Star showcase in regards to Ivan Demidov, one may be inclined to wonder if one of the Ducks' main objectives there is to do their due diligence and leave no stone unturned when it comes to scouting and interviewing the talented forward from the SKA Saint Petersburg organization.
Though official measurements for the showcase will take place on Thursday, June 20, several reports have arisen stating Demidov is taller than his listed 5-foot-10 height when he was measured by SKA and his notably sturdy frame.
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As reported by Elite Prospect's Sean Shapiro, Demidov surprised some teams who brought Russian-speaking scouts to the event with his ability to speak English. He'd been working with a translator to improve his English throughout the 2023-24 season.
According to Gold Star CEO, Dan Milstein, Demidov does not intend to sign an extension with SKA and plans to come to North America following his 2024-25 season in the KHL or MHL.
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Demidov suffered an ankle injury that forced him out of the playoffs as SKA St. Petersburg's MHL team was making their championship run. Reports indicate he has been rehabbing in Florida since June 1 and will be ready to skate in two weeks.
Demidov scored 23 goals and 60 points in 30 regular season games playing in the MHL in 2023-24. He added 11 goals and 28 points in 17 playoff games.
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"What they do at (third overall) is greatly going to change and impact the viewpoint of everybody," Flo Hockey's Chris Peters said on his "Talking Hockey Sense" podcast when speaking of the Ducks' approach to the draft. "If you’re Anaheim, you want to keep everyone guessing. That’s what Pat Verbeek has done in the last couple of years, and certainly last season picking Leo Carlsson when the consensus was suggesting Adam Fantilli was the pick. They’re not afraid to buck convention. They not afraid to avoid consensus. They almost abhor consensus."
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Though his offensive talent is undeniable, concerns about Demidov's skating and the translatability of his game has led to speculation about how far he'll last in the draft.
With Anaheim's presence at the Gold Star Showcase, one wonders if they do consider selecting the consensus second-best forward in the draft. One also wonders if the Chicago Blackhawks may feel the same way and alter course with their second overall selection.
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Notable players at the showcase projected as later picks include forwards Igor Chernyshov, Matvei Gridin, and Yegor Surin along with defensemen Jesse Pulkkinen, Matvei Shuravin, and Timur Kol.
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