Ivan Demidov in hot pursuit of Kirill Kaprizov's KHL U-20 points record

Ivan Demidov's arrival with the Montreal Canadiens is one of the most anticipated in a long time.

Montreal hasn't had a player score more than 84 points in a full season since Alex Kovalev in 2007-08. But the comparison's and the highlight reel of Ivan Demidov have the Canadiens fanbase feeling like they have a superstar on the way. Demidov's rookie season in the KHL has attracted plenty of media attention in North America, and there is a lot to be excited about.

44 games into his draft plus one season with SKA St. Petersburg, and Demidov has taken the league by storm. Demidov is hot on the pursuit of Kirill Kaprizov's U-20 KHL scoring record. That doesn't necessarily mean that Demidov is a bona fide NHL superstar in the making, but Demidov is primed to steal the record from Kaprizov.

The KHL regular season spans 68 games, which gives Demidov 23 games to go before his season ends. Sitting just eight points shy of Kaprizov's record, Demidov could likely pass him in fewer games. If his play continues the way it has, eight points over his next five games is completely realistic for Demidov.

The math adds up, because Demidov was a healthy scratch, which means if he stays healthy the rest of the season, he will finish with 67 games played.

You can mull through each highlight from the 15 goals that Demidov has scored, and each one is either a result of his ridiculous puck skills or a wicked shot. His goal today was a result of the latter, Demidov was stickhandling in a phone booth, before picking the goalie's five-hole for the tally. It's become a matter of when, and not if with Demidov - when will he arrive in Montreal? when will he break Kaprizov's points record?

And Cam Robinson, content director and director of film scouting for Elite Prospects pointed out another record that Demidov is approaching. Demidov could conceivably finish up January with the goals record for a U-20 player, also currently held by Kaprizov (20). With 23 games remaining, Demidov is going to rewrite two entries in the KHL record book indefinitely before the season ends.

The Canadiens could have two players - Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki - who flirt with point-per-game seasons. If Patrik Laine plays a full 82 games, I think he will score above 82 points, and Hutson might even put his name in the hat for an 82-point season in 2025-2026. Imagine all that, and Demidov, who is projected to become the Habs' highest point producer.

I think he could be sitting at 44-plus points through 44 KHL games this year, if not for his lack of usage. Demidov makes an impact each time he is on the ice, and it's rare that he plays a game and doesn't score a point. The level of competition between the NHL and KHL is no doubt different, but if he produced a point-per-game season, I would have to think his NHL stardom odds are pretty good.

Michael Pezzetta is playing himself into waivers territory

For a time I wanted the best for Michael Pezzetta, and it's not that I don't want the same anymore, but he has become unwatchable. There has to be a number threshold of penalties that one player can take before they are a healthy scratch. Regardless of the situation, I think that Martin St Louis needs to make a permanent decision on Pezzetta.

When you play five minutes a night, and spend a minimum of two minutes in the penalty box each game, you are useless. Very few players can do much with five minutes of ice time in a game, and Pezzetta isn't on that list. If he is consistently taking penalties, then he is consistently not moving his feet, and making poor decisions.

Montreal needs to have 23 skaters who are helping the team get better, not punishing the team and causing harm. I have nothing against Jake Evans, Josh Anderson, Joel Armia or Christian Dvorak - but they don't typically move the needle on the scoreboard. When Montreal is killing penalties, guys like Patrik Laine, Cole Caufield and Nick Suzuki are watching from the bench.

There are players in Laval, who deserve to play more than five minutes a night, and will make an impact in Montreal, beyond what Pezzetta has. You can't take opportunities away from guys that will be a part of the Habs' future, for a guy that is a career AHL player. Owen Beck, Jared Davidson, Florian Xhekaj and Luke Tuch, I would make a case that they should be playing over Pezzetta.

It is not his offence or his decision-making that has kept him in the Canadiens lineup, that is for sure. I wrote an article before Christmas questioning why he continued to sit. I have to admit, I didn't think that things would change so soon. If he plays a simple game and stays out of the box, I like what he brings to Montreal, but he continually takes boneheaded penalties.

Something has got to give.