Minnesota Wild
Ivan Demidov Tracking to Be Even Better Than Kirill Kaprizov?
Is Ivan Demidov on his way to becoming a true superstar, and potentially even better than Kirill Kaprizov?
Even before he was drafted, Ivan Demidov drew comparisons to Kirill Kaprizov—both supremely talented Russian wingers with true superstar potential, Kaprizov obviously already having reached that level. On Tuesday night, the two squared off for the first time in the NHL, and neither disappointed, each tallying two assists. Still, it was the Canadiens’ young star who stole the show.
Demidov was buzzing all night, making plays and setting up teammates: he could have easily had a few more assists had some of those chances been finished. Kaprizov wasn’t too shabby himself, but Montreal’s win, combined with how impressive the rookie looked, has many believing Demidov’s ceiling could be even higher than Minnesota’s superstar winger.
Kaprizov, of course, didn’t make his NHL debut until he was 23, while Demidov has already started dominating the league as a teenager who recently turned 20. As a result, Byron Bader of Hockey Prospecting shared charts comparing the two at similar ages, showing that Demidov is not only tracking to be a star but is years ahead of Kaprizov’s trajectory.
“Demidov’s track is about 2 years ahead of Kaprizov. What is Demidov going to look like at age 25 in the league… could be something really incredible,”
The 20-year-old Demidov has racked up 43 points (11 goals, 32 assists) in 50 games played throughout his first full NHL season despite averaging only 15:17 of ice-time. He’s in year two of the three-year, $2,822,499 entry-level contract signed with the Canadiens last April, set to become an RFA after the 2026-27 campaign.
Montreal Has Something Special in Ivan Demidov
The Canadiens knew this from the moment he fell into their laps at fifth overall in 2024—they have a budding superstar in Demidov.
Montreal has one of the most knowledgeable and passionate fanbases in all of sports, so when they tracked his arrival and packed the barn to watch the kid in warmups during his debut, it was clear something special was on the horizon.
While it’s still premature to say he’ll surpass Kaprizov, the early signs are extremely encouraging. Demidov appears more confident and comfortable with every game. His playmaking ability already ranks among the league’s best, and once he becomes a bit more unselfish and uses his shot, watch out.
Demidov possesses pure skill and hockey IQ that can’t be taught—and he’ll never lose that, so as long as he continues on this upward trend, there’s no telling just how high his potential could be.
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