Ivan Demidov's Agent Predicts NHL Stardom

Dan Milstein, agent to Montreal Canadiens forward Ivan Demidov, says the 20-year-old will be one of the NHL's leading players within a few years.

"He has a very bright future. Within the next few years he will become one of the top players in the NHL. Mark my words: this player will be talked about as one of the best hockey players in the league. Give it a few years. He will have a well-known name in the NHL — and not only in Montreal," Milstein said.

Ivan Demidov has signed an eight-year, $9.15m-a-season extension with Montreal. His agent, Dan Milstein, says the terms were driven by the player himself, not from the agency.

"If we had negotiated on my terms, the agreement would have looked a little different. Ivan said he wanted an eight-year contract and wanted to sign it as quickly as possible. He wanted to leave Montreal money under the salary cap so the team could get even better. Next time Ivan goes to market he will be 28 or 29, and he will be able to sign any contract, four or five times larger than the current one. Ivan is happy. He was offered an extension after just 84 NHL games. He knows he will be able to earn even more in the future," Milstein said.