Montreal Canadiens prospect Ivan Demidov was benched on Thursday as SKA St. Petersburg fell 1-0 to HC Dynamo Msk. Roman Rotenberg decided he didn’t need the team’s top scorer as his anemic attack failed to produce a single goal.

3 Takeaways: Canadiens Played Comeback Kings To Win In Overtime
Montreal Canadiens - 2025 Trade Deadline Hub
Former Hab Catches Up With Friends

Before the game, there were rumors that Evgeny Kuznetsov would no longer play for SKA He was absent for a second game in a row, but both the player’s agent and the club denied the information. The team released a statement that its centerman had fallen ill with an acute respiratory viral infection before Tuesday’s game against Spartak, a 7-2 defeat, and that the consequences of the concussion he suffered were more serious than first thought.

Thursday’s loss was a third consecutive defeat for Rotenberg’s men, who are falling in the standings and are now seventh in the West division. They still have a five-point lead over Torpedo, who holds the eighth and final spot for the playoffs. The Kunlun Red Star, who sit in ninth place, are 11 points behind Torpedo but still managed to beat SKA 6-4 last Saturday.

Demidov had a minus-three rating in the Spartak defeat, which can partly explain his benching on Thursday. Teammate Sergei Plotnikov was minus-four but spent over 19 minutes on the ice against Dynamo while the Canadiens’ prospect rode the pine.

It’s puzzling that Rotenberg decided not to use his most dangerous player, as his team is struggling offensively and is already without another top scorer, Kuznetsov. TSN Insider Pierre McGuire, commenting on the situation, said that if he were Kent Hughes, he would put the co-director of amateur scouting, Nick Bobrov, on a plane to visit with the Russian coach as soon as possible.

There are now just eight games left in SKA’s regular season and while it would be highly surprising to see them miss the playoffs, they are limping to the finish line and may be eliminated quickly if nothing is done to right the ship. Do not get excited, about Demidov possibly joining the Canadiens this season, all contracts in the KHL run until at least April, 30 even when a team is out of the playoffs. 

Canadiens stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News, never to miss a story.  

Follow Karine on X @KarineHains Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social and Threads @karinehains.

Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.