With defenseman Artyom Levshunov being more consistently highlighted in the news due to his comparable availability, the overall consensus on the Blackhawks’ No. 2 overall pick has recently begun to lean his way. Chicago has had repeated conversations with the Michigan State product, even taking him to dinner during the NHL Scouting Combine.
But in his first chance to turn the tides Tuesday, forward Ivan Demidov proved to the media that the race is far from over. It seems the Blackhawks have narrowed their selection down to either Demidov or Levshunov. While the latter has been available for the team to gather more intel, the former has been stuck in Russia, unable to attend the combine due to political regulations.
That is, until Tuesday. Agent Dan Milstein, who represents a number of Russian NHLers, hosted a “combine” of his own this week, allowing GMs across the league to have a chance to meet with and watch the members of this draft class. While Demidov was unable to skate due to an ankle injury (which should be healed by development camp), all eyes were on the potential No. 2 pick as he met with teams and the media. Demidov didn’t disappoint, even “happily shocking” NHL teams when they saw him for the first time.
The first thing teams were able to notice about Demidov was his height. Previously listed at 5-10, his average size was somewhat concerning for a Blackhawks team that already struggles in that department, counting as a mark against the talented forward. However, it was reported in Florida that that wasn’t the case, with reporters estimating that he’s at least six feet tall.
The other surprise for NHL executives was Demidov’s English – his interviews were almost all done in English. Demidov said he’s been working on the language for quite some time, and while a language barrier is far from a deal-breaker in today’s game, it’s certainly a positive sign and likely gives his draft stock at least a small bump.
As far as what the media was able to find, Milstein was able to ease some of the apprehension regarding Demidov’s status in the KHL. There’s significant cause for worry when drafting Russian players, as teams don’t know when or if their picks will come to North America. That’s not a concern for those considering Demidov, as Milstein says there’s no plan for him to sign an extension in the KHL after this year (the final season of his current contract) and he plans to come to North America a year from now.
Finally, in talking to the media, Demidov may have been able to raise his own draft stock. According to Sean Shapiro at EP Rinkside, Demidov said that despite being a winger, he’s working more like a center in the defensive zone in order to improve his overall impact. He mentioned that his explosiveness and agility can be a strength in all three zones, and that it can “surprise people.” It’s been known that Demidov supplements his strong attacking game with good forechecking and stick positioning, but it’s great to see that he’s working harder to become a two-way forward.
While Levshunov has been gathering momentum lately, Demidov used his opportunity to even the playing field better than anyone could’ve expected. He didn’t get a chance to show his stuff on the ice, but Demidov has done everything possible to impress executives around the league.
