Ivan Demidov -Photo credit: SKA St. Petersburg Ice Hockey Club X Account [https://deweb-519a7.b-cdn.net/post-images/9afaafa1-3aae-4ed4-a3ef-e8a99a9db0b0.jpeg] Ivan Demidov -Photo credit: SKA St. Petersburg Ice Hockey Club X Account Montreal Canadiens [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens]'s prospect Ivan Demidov’s season ended in the KHL on Sunday. SKA St. Petersburg lost to Dynamo Moscow 5-2, losing its first-round series in six games. In game five, the right winger shone brightly with a goal and an assist, but he was kept off the score sheet on Sunday. Three Takeaways As Dobes Stole The Game [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens/latest-news/three-takeaways-as-dobes-stole-the-game] Nick Suzuki Can Set a Canadiens Mark [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens/latest-news/nick-suzuki-can-set-a-canadiens-mark] Three Takeaways From A Canadiens Comeback Win [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens/latest-news/3-takeaways-from-a-canadiens-comeback-win] While SKA’s KHL team is now eliminated, its lower-league affiliates aren’t, and according to RG.org’s Marco D’Amico, that’s where the talented forward is likely to be headed for now [https://rg.org/news/hockey/ivan-demidov-future-remains-unclear-after-ska-playoff-exit]. St. Petersburg owns his rights until May 31st, and when Roman Rotenberg was asked what was next for the prospect, he replied: > I don’t know about Montreal. He’s a SKA player Honestly, we haven’t thought > about Montreal, Quebec, or Toronto. Everything will happen in its time… It > would be better for both Nikishin and Demidov to stay in Russia with SKA. - Coach Roman Rotenberg on what's next for Ivan Demidov That certainly doesn’t sound like the organization is about to cut ties with the player and allow him to cross over to this side of the pond. This shouldn’t come as a surprise to anyone. Canadiens GM Kent Hughes has always been clear that he didn’t expect his Russian wonder to come over this season. As mentioned in the past, SKA’s organization wants to win championships at every level. Considering his age, he’s still eligible to play in the MHL, their junior level. Adding a player of his caliber to the roster could make a huge difference. While Canadiens fans are sure to be displeased with the news, if the roles were inverted and Demidov could help the Canadiens organization win a championship in the AHL, they would assign him to the Laval Rocket. It’s the nature of the business. Demidov’s contract with SKA is valid until the end of May, and it’s normal for them to want to use the player as long as possible. However, a final decision has yet to be made, and the Demidov clan will meet with SKA in the coming days to discuss the next steps, but Canadiens fans shouldn’t hold their breath. Hopefully, Demidov doesn’t sustain any injury in lower-level play. Last year, in 17 playoff games, he tallied 28 points before suffering a lower-body injury. Still, according to RG.org, he came close to suffering an injury in Sunday’s game. Hopefully, whatever is decided, Demidov steers clear of injury and is 100% ready when the Canadiens’ development camp kicks off at the end of June or in early July, I can already picture the Brossard facility filled to the brim with fans eager to catch a glimpse of the next franchise cornerstone. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Canadiens stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News [https://news.google.com/publications/CAAqBwgKMK-q0gsw7sXpAw/sections/CAQqEAgAKgcICjCvqtILMO7F6QMwo-DfCA?hl=en-CA&gl=CA&ceid=CA%3Aen], never to miss a story. Follow Karine on X @KarineHains [https://x.com/KarineHains] Bluesky @karinehains.bsky.social [https://bsky.app/profile/karinehains.bsky.social] and Threads @karinehains [https://www.threads.net/@karinehains]. Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/montreal-canadiens/] for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens.
