Montreal Canadiens' Ivan Demidov hits an all time low after social media backlash

The Canadiens struck gold when they selected Ivan Demidov with the fifth overall pick in the 2024 NHL draft. The 18-year-old forward had a great start to the season and is currently a player for the KHL's SKA St. Petersburg. He scored eight points in ten games to earn the title of rookie of the month.

It is not uncommon for coaches to treat players who are developing in the KHL differently than those who were drafted in the NHL. These players are frequently benched during games because the KHL doesn't value their development. Demidov's case appears to be like that.

Many Canadiens fans are concerned about Demidov's development because of his declining ice time despite his excellent performances and Evgeny Kuznetsov's injury.

Demidov's ice time has varied from seven to fourteen minutes in the first ten games of the season, but in the most recent game, he only spent 4:07 on the ice.

He is the 13th forward in the lineup as of right now.

Here's what the fans are saying about this situation:

Demidov appears to be growing weary of everything. As per HFTV, the athlete approved of an Instagram comment endorsing his departure from the SKA:

After everything, supporters are hoping that the general manager, Kent Hughes, or the team's owner, Geoff Molson, will be able to get him out of the KHL and into North America.

It would undoubtedly be advantageous for his development. Demidov is currently scheduled to arrive in Montreal at the end of the current campaign, but if this circus keeps up, the Canadiens might have to act fast.