Nick Suzuki replaced as the Canadiens' first-line center? New reports emerge
A wave of hope was born among Canadiens fans when Kent Hughes selected the young Ivan Demidov.
Finally, a player with exceptional talent was joining the Montreal Canadiens.
It didn't take much for excitement to build in the Canadiens community to see the young forward in the Bleu-Blanc-Rouge uniform. While we had a slight hope of seeing him this fall, it seems we will have to wait until spring, as the Canadiens' management has discussed Ivan Demidov's plan with SKA coach Roman Rotenberg.
Regarding Demidov's arrival with the Canadiens, it will be interesting to see how he will be utilized. Will he be a center or a winger?
Ivan Demidov, a new first-line center for the Montreal Canadiens?
On this topic, James Iacovone, host of the podcast High & Wide Hockey that mainly covers the Philadelphia Flyers, has a clear idea.
While comparing Demidov to Matvei Michkov, he stated that the Canadiens' pick had no choice but to play in only one position.
According to Iacovone, Demidov is dominant because he patrols the ice and plays like a center. He is always looking to make the right pass and not just waiting to receive it.
With the depth that SKA possesses, especially with the recent arrival of Kuznetsov, it would be surprising to see him play center in the KHL. Demidov could fill in if needed, but it won't be a full-time position.
But in Montreal, as Félix Forget from the site DLC suggests, he could very well be the club's second-line center. Imagine a Nick Suzuki / Ivan Demidov duo at the center on the top two lines. That would be a solid duo.
And what if Demidov becomes the Canadiens' first-line center?
Iacovone is also excited about the idea of seeing Demidov paired with Juraj Slafkovsky. He thinks it would be a combination that could wreak havoc on the ice.
We can't wait to see what that could look like!
Since it's a podcast about the Flyers, it's no surprise that there was a comparison with Michkov. The hosts mentioned right from the start that they are biased in their player preference due to their allegiance. They would have liked to have Demidov on their team, but they are very happy to have Michkov.
The show's co-host, Jack Smith, thinks Demidov is more complete, but Michkov is more offensive. He even claims that the Flyers' prospect will have numbers comparable to those of Auston Matthews when he reaches his peak. That's quite a statement...
I also invite you to watch and listen around 34 minutes and 30 seconds into the podcast for Smith's little rant about Canadiens fans. He clearly had a lot on his mind.
| POLL | ||
10 AOUT | 729 ANSWERS Nick Suzuki replaced as the Canadiens' first-line center? New reports emerge Who do you think will be the Canadiens' first-line center in three years? | ||
| Nick Suzuki | 430 | 59 % |
| Kirby Dach | 83 | 11.4 % |
| Ivan Demidov | 216 | 29.6 % |
| List of polls | ||
