This is both a continuation of recent KHL headlines and an opportunity to provide a profile on another up-and-comer in the draft prospect pool. In particular, this Russian youngster is eligible next year, and to this point has typically been projected as a high top ten pick. However, as has already been suggested here and is pretty much a given in this scenario, his stock might have been affected by a recent misfortune. Let us talk about this DYUSSH Dmitrov youth system product’s career, where he might be headed, and what the current state of affairs is with him. He is definitely an interesting player, and while he was already discussed on episode 3 of the Black Stitch Hockey Cast, he was already deserving of his own article, and recent events have only made that more clear.

Ivan Demidov was born in Sergiyev Posad, Moscow Oblast on December 10th, 2005. He first sprung to prominence as a member of the Vityaz Moscow Region/Podolsk pipeline, where he was consistently an over a point-per-game producer at every age grade he played at. In 2021-22, he made the move to SKA Saint Petersburg’s system, where he has performed excellently for their developmental sides since. In his first season with the organization, he put up 26 points in 11 games for their U17 team. He also played proficiently for SKA-Varyagi in the MHL, putting up 14 points in 11 appearances. In 2022-23, he really made his mark in his first full MHL season, tallying 62 points in 41 regular season appearances for SKA-1946, with a +31. Demidov continued this impressive performance in the postseason, putting up 13 points in 10 games to go alongside a +10. While he had eyes on him for a long time prior to that, this cemented his status as a can’t miss prospect eligible to be selected in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft. Some have said Demidov’s ceiling might be even greater than that of fellow SKA product (currently playing with HC Sochi) and teammate on the 2021 Hlinka Gretzky Cup gold medal winning Russia U18 squad Matvei Michkov (#7th overall, Philadelphia Flyers, 2023). This, however, seems a stretch based off of their individual accomplishments at comparable points, as Demidov did not appear in the VHL last year nor did he make a major impact in his 2 game cup of coffee in the KHL. Michkov, meanwhile, tallied 5 points in 13 appearances for SKA in 2021-22 in his D-1 year (the year prior to his draft eligible season, for those not in the know), and was always a reliable presence and remarkable scorer in the youth system (see: his absurd 70 goals, 109 points output in 26 games for Lokomotiv-2004 Yaroslavl U16 in 2019-20). However, it is understandable why scouts are high on Demidov, and with next year’s class less amazingly stacked than this year’s (not to discredit any of the top talents available, including and especially the ones I/we have covered before, but 2023 was one of the deepest drafts of the millennium), it is quite possible that Demidov is drafted in the top three. For the record, most high profile rankings have him placed third, as can be found on his EliteProspects profile.

However, Demidov, like another prospect covered in this series in the form of Aron Kiviharju, has had unforeseen circumstances come in the way. It is understood now that, after having made very few appearances across the MHL, VHL, and KHL levels so far in the 2023-24 season and showing little productivity, that Demidov is going to miss the next 2.5 months due to a knee injury. It seems as though the 17-year-old has continuously had bad luck, with his country being indefinitely suspended from international play by the IIHF due to the ongoing geopolitical quagmire, meaning that he already had fewer chances to get eyes on him. This was followed by a bad start to his D0 season and now having to miss a significant amount of time. While his potential has already been fairly apparent, Demidov, sadly, could be seen as a risk, and another big chance to prove himself has been denied. Hopefully, even if he goes lower in the draft than originally expected, he will have a chance to make a splash in North America.