“Martin St-Louis really has the impression that Ivan Demidov is a star in the making”

Dose
Crédit: Ivan Demidov of Montreal Canadiens skates past Jakob Chychrun during playoffs game.

With Ivan Demidov about to play his first full NHL season, it’s hard to predict the production of the man who is currently the betting sites’ favorite to win the next Calder Trophy. Personally, if Demidov can score 60 points in his rookie season, I’ll be satisfied. However, beyond his individual production, it’s the Russian player’s impact on the team as a whole that we’ll have to watch.

This is what Marco D’Amico discusses on The Shaun Starr Show podcast.According to D’Amico, Demidov’s presence on the second line will lighten the load on the first line. Last year, the Canadiens’ opponents had to neutralize the first line and Laine Hutson to stifle much of the attack.

However, with a talented player like Demidov on the team’s second line, opposing teams will also have to keep an eye on the Habs’ second unit [content-ads] Especially if Patrik Laine can also have a good season, which could provide two productive wingers on the second line. Imagine if, on top of that, the Habs can finally find their second center to round them out.

In short, if Demidov can quickly establish himself as a five-on-five offensive threat, it will have the double benefit of taking pressure off the first line to produce, as well as giving them more space, since opponents will have to devote some of their defensive elements to guarding the Russian.

In other words, the more Demidov becomes part of the Habs’ defensive strategy, the more the first line will benefit. Does this mean that the forward will never play on the team’s first line? Absolutely not, but the Canadiens are under no obligation to put all their eggs in one basket, and having a first-line forward on the second line can only benefit the entire attack.

What is clear is that Martin St-Louis will have a lot more ammunition up front this season (not to mention the arrival of Zachary Bolduc and Noah Dobson), and D’Amico tells us that the coach is really looking forward to getting back to practicing with the young Russian.

The coach also seems to see a lot of potential in Demidov, and I believe St-Louis will give him every chance to become an NHL star [spacer title=’Overtime’] – Mount Habsmore.

– Two more points for Daulton Varsho.

– A surprise visitor!

🤔

– Canada well represented.

– That’s a lot of money!