With the very first pick in the upcoming draft to be held in Las Vegas this June, there won't be any surprises.
However, it's the Chicago Blackhawks who will draft second, and many experts say that this year, it's very hard to predict who will be chosen after Celebrini.
But in recent weeks, one name that has been emerging is right winger Ivan Demidov, who played in the MHL in 2023-2024 and unlike Matvei Michkov, would be available to come play in America as soon as next year.
It's agreed that the young Russian prospect would be a perfect line mate for Connor Bedard, but as reported by DLC, it's possible that the Blackhawks organization hasn't made their choice yet.
At least that's the view of Scott Powers, who covers the Blackhawks for The Athletic, who wrote an article about how it's still unclear whether Ivan Demidov or Artyom Levshunov will head to Chicago.
The Hawks need reinforcements in both positions, and there's also the injury Demidov suffered during the MHL finals. However, the latest news suggests he won't need surgery and should be fully recovered for next season.
Either way, the quick recovery from his injury will possibly allow him to lace up before the draft, which is good news in itself.
Clearly, if Ivan Demidov were to slide to the fifth pick, it's evident that Kent Hughes couldn't pass him up, unless the organization has already made its choice by then.
We'll have the answer on June 28th during the first round of the NHL draft presentation in Las Vegas.
Credit - Danslescoulisses.com: IL N'EST PAS COMPLÈTEMENT EXCLU QUE DEMIDOV GLISSE JUSQU'AU 5E RANG
POLL | ||
Is it a no brainer to draft Ivan Demidov if he's available at 5? | ||
100% | 522 | 77.2 % |
No, I still prefer Iginla or Lindstrom | 154 | 22.8 % |
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