Ivan Demidov is done with the KHL, what’s next?

With Ivan Demidov’s season officially done, now things get interesting.

Demidov’s KHL deal expires on May 31, so Roman Rotenberg and SKA St. Petersburg hold his rights firmly. 

Should SKA allow it, Demidov could mutually terminate his contract, and head to the NHL. But they could choose the spiteful route, much like he was treated to with limited ice time for much of the year, and decide he stays in Russia until his deal expires. 

SKA has a team in the MHL (Russia’s junior league), SKA-1946 St. Petersburg, where Demidov played last year, and likely will this year too, if the organization decides to hold him to his deal. Demidov played 30 games in the MHL in 2023-24, scoring 23-37-60, before playing 17 MHL playoff games (11-17-28), en route to an MHL Championship.

Demidov had the most goals (11), most points (28) and best plus/minus (+19) - earning him MHL Most Valuable Player honours - and he was named forward of the month from December through to February.

Now, Demidov has done everything with the club’s best interest as priority No. 1, so he should be treated the same way. But if we’re being honest, we should expect what SKA has come to make us expect - the worst-case scenario.

If Demidov goes to the MHL, he will dominate and play huge minutes without a doubt. But for some reason, I feel like Montreal would benefit a lot more from his service, especially with his KHL squad golfing. Plus, it’s just the courteous thing to do, to allow the kid to get some Stanley Cup playoff action before his rookie season in 2025-26.

What a boost he would be for the Habs lineup, and he would push a few guys down the lineup. I feel like the depth would be immense, and the top six would shine with the addition of Alex Newhook or Emil Heineman.

If I’m being honest, I would try a line with Patrik Laine, Oliver Kapanen and Demidov. Give him a smart, speedy two-way centre with untapped offence. And one of the purest shooters the league has ever seen in No. 92 Laine.

Decisions need to be made. But that was exciting to type, and even more chill-inducing to read. An incredibly well-stocked bottom-six, and a talented, exciting top-six. 

If they squeeze in with the wildcard two spots, Demidov is in the fold. I mean, you can use your imagination. Demidov versus Alex Ovechkin, wow that would be a memory made for Demidov.

Now we wait to see the decision that every Habs fan, coach, and through to the owner and general manager of the Habs have burning in their minds. 

Can Demidov play for the Canadiens in the 2024-25 playoffs, if they make it? 

Let’s run it.

So, is there a chance?

Well, RG Media editor Marco D’Amico wrote an article recently, from a recent interview between one of their sources and Roman Rotenberg.

According to the article, it doesn’t appear that SKA has any intention of rushing to let Demidov leave. Development, and a winning culture comes first, and their imminent decision I expect will be reflective of that.

Unfortunately, as it is, we get to see more Demidov highlights. There is no replacement for having him with the CH for his first taste of NHL playoff hockey. Go have fun kid - Cale Makar did it, and had plenty of fun - so why not? 

But yeah, we await the decision, though it seems it’s likely been made from the tone of Rotenberg’s response.