Washington Hockey Insider has no direct affiliation to the Washington Capitals, NHL or NHLPA
Canadiens' Ivan Demidov throws some shade towards Capitals captain
Photo credit: X.com
On Saturday, just two days before making his Stanley Cup Playoffs debut against the Washington Capitals, Ivan Demidov was asked by reporters whether Alex Ovechkin had been one of his idols growing up.
Montreal Canadiens' star rookie Ivan Demidov throws some shade towards Capitals captain Alex Ovechkin in an interview on Sunday
Here's what Demidov had to say when asked if Ovechkin was one of his idols growing up...
«I love Malkin much better than Ovi. Malkin was awesome» -Demidov
Ian Oland from RMNB writes that while Evgeni Malkin is almost certainly a future first-ballot Hall of Famer, his path to superstardom has differed significantly from that of rival Alex Ovechkin.
The Pittsburgh Penguins forward, with 1,346 points (514 goals, 832 assists) in 1,213 career games, is known more for his slick, elusive playmaking than his shooting. And throughout his nearly 20-year NHL career, he's often operated in the shadow of Sidney Crosby.
Demidov was also asked whether it meant more to face off against his fellow countryman Ovechkin in his first-ever Stanley Cup Playoffs series.
«I think, yeah a little bit. But now I just wanna help my team win.» -Demidov
Oland also writes that the playoff showdown between Demidov and Ovechkin, separated by two decades in age, will be their first meeting on the ice.
Though Ovechkin said he doesn't know Demidov personally, he's seen enough of his game to recognize the young forward's talent and potential to become a future star in the NHL.
«Yeah, it's going to be an interesting match. Obviously, he's a talented guy. We'll see.» -Ovechkin
During the KHL season, Demidov tallied 49 points (19 goals, 30 assists) in 65 games with SKA while skating alongside former Washington Capitals star Evgeny Kuznetsov. Despite their connection and shared experience, Demidov mentioned that the two skilled forwards haven't spoken about the upcoming playoff series.
"Though Demidov is still getting used to the NHL, Game 1 will mark just the third time he's played for Montreal, his inexperience could give him the element of surprise. Without many games to analyze, the Capitals know Demidov could be a wild card as they prepare to face the Habs in Game 1." -Oland
We'll see how Demidov does in his third NHL game come Game 1 on Monday night in Washington.
| POLL | ||
AVRIL 20 | 39 ANSWERS Canadiens' Ivan Demidov throws some shade towards Capitals captain Will Canadiens' rookie Ivan Demidov have an impact in round 1 between Montreal and Washington? | ||
| yes | 14 | 35.9 % |
| no | 25 | 64.1 % |
| List of polls | ||
