Dinner With Demidov? Blackhawks Are In Florida To Meet With Russian Prospect
GM Kyle Davidson, his staff and even owner Danny Wirtz have been at a prospect showcase to meet highly touted Ivan Demidov ahead of 2024 NHL Draft when they pick No. 2 overall.
USA Today Network - Dinner With Demidov? Blackhawks Are In Florida To Meet With Russian ProspectThe Chicago Blackhawks front office has been represented in full force at the Gold Star Hockey 2024 Pre-Draft Showcase in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida this week.
The five-day event, hosted by the Ann Arbor, Michigan-based Gold Star Sports Management Group, is a forum for introducing its Russian player clients to NHL teams. Prospects of other nationalities are there too.
That includes Russian forward Ivan Demidov, an 18-year-old forward from St. Petersburg who rates on many charts as the No. 2 prospect in the 2024 draft behind Macklin Celebrini. See THN's Draft Preview, available here at https://thehockeynews.store/
Also at the showcase is 6-foot-2 Belarusian defenseman Artyom Levshunov, who played at Michigan State last season. Both are represented by again Dan Milstein.
Chicago has the No. 2 pick in the draft. So present at the Gold Star camp are Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson, amateur scouting director Mike Doneghey and hockey operations advisor Brian Campbell. Team chairman and CEO Danny Wirtz is even in the area and expected to join his staff.
Selecting Connor Bedard with the No. 1 pick in 2023 was the ultimate no-brainer. But the No. 2 spot in 2024 is more complicated, with Demidov, Levshunov and possibly a couple of other prospects in play when the first round of the draft takes place on June 28 in Las Vegas.
This choice requires not just due diligence, but detailed, analytical homework.
The Blackhawks got a chance to meet the personable Levshunov at the NHL Scouting Combine in Buffalo, New York earlier this month. Scouting the big D-Man in person with the Spartans was as easy as a trip to East Lansing, Michigan or other Big Ten rinks. A dominant college player as a freshman, Levshunov posted nine goals and 35 points in 38 games and was a plus-27.
Unveiling Demidov In Person
But Russian teams are banned from international tournaments because of their country's war against Ukraine. Given restrictions with travel to and from Vladmir Putin's authoritarian state, it's become almost impossible for NHL teams to scout Russian players and leagues in person. The players also weren't free to participate in the NHL Scouting Combine in Buffalo, New York earlier this month.
Davidson has said that drafting a Russian player should be no big obstacle, so long as he checks out. See following video.
Demidov has been compared to Tampa Bay star and Hart Trophy finalist Nikita Kucerov for his playmaking skill. He's been projected as a complement to Bedard and possible offensive pillar on the Blackhawks as they try to climb back to the top of the NHL.
But here's what we know:
- The Blackhawks group plans to meet and have dinner with Demidov, as they have with other top prospects including Bedard last season and Levshunov at the scouting combine in Buffalo.
- Demidov is now about 6-foot-1, not 5-foot-11. He's said he's grown since his stats were printed in hockey reference guides.
- He speaks functional English and is working at getting better. He's still been using an interpreter to help him through.
- Milstein said Demidov is under contract to St. Petersburg in the KHL for the 2024-25 season.
- Demidov wants to play in the NHL. He's at the Gold Star camp to make an impression and be drafted.
- Demidov isn't participating in the on-ice portion of the Gold Star camp because of a leg injury he later termed "ankle ligament" to reporters. He expects to be skating again in about two weeks. The forward also had two knee injuries last season. Milstein said Demidov is rehabbing in Florida.
- Demidov considers himself a playmaker and likes handling the puck and passing. He likes to shoot as well.
- He considers agility one of his strengths and important part of playing. Like most prospects, he wants to become a more explosive skater and stronger.
- He was a fan of Minnesota's Kirill Kaprizov. for his skating, and Kucherov, for his passing.
- Demidov also played soccer, which improved his vision of the field/ice and playmaking skill.
- The Blackhawks have a dossier on Demidov from their Russian scout, Anatoly Semenov. He recommended forward Roman Kantserov last year, and the Blackhawks took the winger in the second round, 44th overall in 2023. See the following video.