Whether we like it or not, comparisons will always be made between Ivan Demidov and Matvei Michkov.

Even though they weren’t part of the same draft, Canadiens fans will seek reassurance about the choice not to select Michkov in favor of David Reinbacher.

To add to the debate, the excellent Marco D’Amico compared the journeys of the two forwards in the KHL.

On paper, the result is highly favorable for the Canadiens’ prospect, but there’s a catch..

The issue is that both played in the KHL under very different circumstances. Demidov gets very limited ice time on a highly talented team, whereas Michkov played more on a lower-ranked team.

Comparisons between Ivan Demidov and Matvei Michkov

I’ll let you draw your own conclusions from these stats. The main goal here is to show that it’s difficult to truly compare the two players.

It’s true; any comparison between them is futile since they don’t have the same playing style. One is more well-rounded (Demidov), while the other (Michkov) is more offensive. Comparing stats is more about finding some reassurance.

Instead of always trying to rank Demidov above Michkov, why not simply appreciate the talent of both players?

Both will surely provide a great show in the NHL for a long time, so let’s enjoy it!

And please, stop bringing up David Reinbacher’s name every time Michkov is mentioned..

Recently, we saw that things aren’t always rosy for Flyers forward Michkov, as he was scratched by John Tortorella on Thursday morning.