Anthony Martineau Calls Out a Weakness in Demidov's Game, Fans Will Get It
Since his arrival in Montreal, Ivan Demidov has drawn the spotlight like few young players before him.
In the most recent game against the Detroit Red Wings, Demidov stole the spotlight with a stunning pass to setup a beautiful team goal.
Here it is if you missed it:
But now, it's journalist Anthony Martineau who spoke up to cool things down a little.
First of all, I'll start by saying that Martineau is, in my opinion, one of the best analysts covering the Montreal Canadiens. I find that he's always honest, and I really like the perspectives he brings.
Well, here's another example that shows the accuracy of Martineau's arguments.
During Tony Marinaro's podcast, Martineau gave a very honest analysis of the young Russian, emphasizing that his immense talent doesn't erase all the work that remains before he becomes an established star.
Anthony Martineau compares Ivan Demidov to Juraj Slafkovsky and calls for patience
"Ivan Demidov is going to have an exceptional career in the NHL. He's going to be a star, everyone knows that."
- Anthony Martineau
- Anthony Martineau
But according to Martineau, the challenge right now isn't technical - it's more on the physical side.
"At the moment, physically, Ivan Demidov isn't at the top. When he's involved in a one-on-one battle, if he doesn't manage to win the duel through finesse or footwork, he often won't come out on top." he added.
To illustrate his point, he made a direct comparison with Juraj Slafkovsky, a player who, according to him, "wins his one-on-one battles and is much more physical."
But careful - I want to say it again - Martineau is not criticizing Demidov.
He also made sure to clarify his point to avoid any misinterpretation.
"I'm not speaking badly about Demidov. I'm saying there's a process to follow. You can't put him on the first line right away. Let him build up physical strength and get acclimated."
- Anthony Martineau
- Anthony Martineau
Here's the full clip:
And at only 19 years old, Demidov still has all the time in the world ahead of him to establish himself as one of the best of his generation.
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