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Ivan Demidov: not an option for the Blue Jackets, according to The Athletic

SAINT PETERSBURG, RUSSIA - 2023/09/12: SKA Hockey Club player, Ivan Demidov (11) seen in action during the Kontinental Hockey League, regular season KHL 2023 - 2024 between SKA Saint Petersburg and Spartak Moscow at the Ice Sports Palace. (Final score; SKA Saint Petersburg 0:3 Spartak Moscow). (Photo by Maksim Konstantinov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Nine days before the draft.

Predicting the top-5 picks of the next draft is undoubtedly a topic of conversation at the upcoming NHL Draft. After all, it will change many things for the future of the Canadiens.

In an ideal world, the Habs would draft either Cayden Lindstrom or Ivan Demidov. If not, perhaps a defenseman would be the ideal solution if both forwards are taken.

For now, we know that the Sharks will take Macklin Celebrini. We suspect that the Blackhawks are leaning towards Artyom Levshunov and that the Ducks like Anton Silayev.

Is it all set in stone? No. But more and more mock drafts are pointing in that direction.

It’s what happens in Columbus that will tell us a lot about what the Habs will do. And on this subject, Corey Pronman, who is well connected with the hopefuls, made an important nuance concerning the direction of the Blue Jackets.

After predicting Celebrini, Levshunov and Silayev in the top-3 of his mock draft of the day, here’s why he’s sending Cayden Lindstrom to Ohio for what’s next.

I think it’s Lindstrom, Silayev or Sennecke returned to the Blue Jackets’ pick. – Corey Pronman

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As we can see, we can think of this as the Blue Jackets’ top-4 (assuming Celebrini is on the list and at #1) regardless of forward picks since Pronman named Silayev, whom he places at #3.

We can therefore assume that the Blue Jackets’ top-4 is this:

  1. Celebrini
  2. Silayev or Lindstrom
  3. Silayev or Lindstrom
  4. Sennecke

Does the Russian factor have anything to do with the potential decision to leave Demidov behind these four guys? After all, it’s one thing to prefer Lindstrom to Demidov… but to prefer Sennecke, that’s astonishing.

So, in his mock draft, Pronman sends Demidov to Montreal. He doesn’t think it’s the only option, however, and seems to be saying that the Habs would like Lindstrom to be available.

Note that Pronman simulated the entire draft, which is an intense task. Without giving anything away, Pronman, who based his mock draft on the needs of the clubs, sent nine centers to Montreal out of 12 picks. Demidov, another winger and a defenseman are the exceptions.

Among the centers? Aatos Koivu and Quebecer Alexandre Blais, from the Rimouski Oceanic.

Overtime

– Is a miracle possible?

– Pressure, you say?

– So, $65 million down the drain?

– Eight years and $6.5m for Jaccob Slavin?