Ivan Demidov's actions on social media spark major controversy after hitting rock bottom in the KHL

The Montreal Canadiens selected Ivan Demidov with their number five overall pick in the 2024 NHL Draft & the 18 year old forward is playing in the KHL for SKA St. Petersburg. He is having a strong start to the season which has earned him rookie of the month scoring 8 points in only 10 games.

However it's common for KHL teams to treat NHL prospects differently often benching them because their development isn't the KHL's priority. This seems to be happening to Demidov, despite his great performances and the injury to Evgeny Kuznetsov. His ice time has steadily dropped, worrying many Canadiens fans.

In his first 10 games Demidov's ice time ranged from 7 to 14 minutes but in a recent game he played only 4 minutes and 7 seconds. Now, he's listed as the 13th forward, which has caused even more concern among fans.

Demidov himself seems frustrated as he reportedly liked a comment on Instagram supporting the idea of leaving SKA.

Fans are now hoping that Canadiens owner Geoff Molson or GM Kent Hughes will bring him to North America soon as it would likely benefit his development.

Though Demidov is expected to join the Canadiens after this season if things continue like this the team may need to act sooner.