Former defender of several KHL clubs Nikita Shchitov told that the front of the system SKA Ivan Demidov able to gain a foothold in the NHL and play a leading role in “Montreal”.
Last night, Demidov, 18, was drafted by Montreal fifth overall in the first round. He became the first Russian player to go in the top 5 in the NHL draft since 2018, when Andrei Svechnikov was selected second overall by Carolina.
Demidov has a current contract with SKA Saint Petersburg, valid until April 30, 2025.
— Demidov intends to leave for the NHL after this season; his contract with SKA expires. In St. Petersburg, such players are often sent to play in the VHL, we saw this in the examples of Askarov, Morozov and Marchenko. Is there a fear that this guy will lose a year?
— Demidov is a good player. It is said that in terms of potential he is even stronger than Matvey Michkov. I think it is not so important where he will spend the coming season – with SKA or in the VHL. The main thing is that he has no injuries. The scouts note his strengths, Montreal is interested in him. Therefore, even if Demidov spends this year in the VHL, he will come abroad and receive the desired development there. I think he can gain a foothold and play a leading role in Montreal,” Shchitov told .
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I’m Emma Smith, a dedicated journalist and avid storyteller. I have been writing for news websites for the past 5 years, reporting on hockey news and delivering in-depth analysis of the sport. In my current role as Author at Athletistic, I write about hockey events from around the world to keep followers up-to-date with what’s happening in the sport.
