Major acquisition by Kent Hughes of his next number one center?

This takes nothing away from the captain, who is worth every penny of his contract, especially since he has never missed a single game since joining the NHL and progresses every year.

However, his ceiling might not exceed 90-100 points, whereas Ivan Demidov's might.

The recent 5th overall pick is listed as a right winger, but he admits that he prefers playing center and is very comfortable there.

According to prospect expert Scott Wheeler, who ranks Demidov as the 3rd best prospect in the entire NHL, the Russian is very involved in all three zones. He is not only a great offensive player for putting up points but also very responsible defensively and believes he will hit 100 points one day in the NHL.

With his speed and intelligence, Demidov could become quite a weapon at center and even potentially unseat Nick Suzuki in a few years.

It's still a long way off, and nothing should be taken for granted, but it gives Martin St-Louis and Kent Hughes another option, especially considering Kirby Dach needs to prove he can stay healthy and take on significant responsibilities.