GDT: 2023 Caps NHL Draft Thread

[Langway]

Certainly a first year Russian scout won't outweigh Mahoney's thoughts if he deems him to by far be the BPA at 8. But it does reveal some questions at least. You wonder if the ETA combined with them won't lead them to opt for a perceived more stable fast-tracking option. Historically they'd just take him but you wonder if the extra year or two won't lead them elsewhere if they don't believe there's a significant all-around gap in upside. Based on raw skill alone certainly you don't pass on Michkov but there are other traits that are also important for NHL success. There may be more diverse--certainly bigger and stronger--skill sets. If they don't believe in his personality or ethic in improving weaknesses or his coachability it may be enough to opt for a lesser talent but one they're more bullish on their maturity and professionalism.

The industry sense seems to be that some teams may not make a final decision on Michkov until the final days before the draft when they've had a chance to speak face-to-face. Some have already probably ruled him out categorically, be it philosophically or at the ownership level. Not sure I recall a bigger 11th hour bit of drama, though. I still think Dvorsky's probably their guy otherwise given his profile. It's no slam dunk but my .02 hunch.

 

[ArmadilloThumb]

.

I still think Dvorsky's probably their guy otherwise given his profile. It's no slam dunk but my .02 hunch.

Very possible, and while I'm a BPA supporter, I do wonder if they lean C if a bunch of players roll up as being close as BPA in their analysis.

OTOH, they may have a favorite internally based on characteristics (compete, hockey IQ, etc. ), and there also could even be an change in philosophy with a new coach/retool, and an evolving NHL. Hypothetically, they may be targeting someone who we don't expect.

Concensus seems to be roughly the Dvorsky/Benson/Moore forward group being potentially available, with some small and decreasing chance Leonard/Smith may fall far enough. This top 10 could have some teams going D or even off the board if they have conviction, which could mean we have more choices than expected. Seeing some WILD divergence in rankings of a few players in a bunch of the published rankings in the 5 - 30 range.

I doubt we'd do it, but teams that value size might they do something drastically unexpected like Honzek/But/Wood (that's where I'd love for us to get another pick in the 10 -25 range from some of those teams with 2 or 3 first round picks).

 

[SecretaryofDefense5]

Dvorsky is the safe pick but man, I question his potential. I’ve heard some folks throw the Kopitar comparison out but the prevalent comparison I’ve heard is William Karlsson….meh.

 

[Holtbyisms]

Certainly a first year Russian scout won't outweigh Mahoney's thoughts if he deems him to by far be the BPA at 8. But it does reveal some questions at least. You wonder if the ETA combined with them won't lead them to opt for a perceived more stable fast-tracking option. Historically they'd just take him but you wonder if the extra year or two won't lead them elsewhere if they don't believe there's a significant all-around gap in upside. Based on raw skill alone certainly you don't pass on Michkov but there are other traits that are also important for NHL success. There may be more diverse--certainly bigger and stronger--skill sets. If they don't believe in his personality or ethic in improving weaknesses or his coachability it may be enough to opt for a lesser talent but one they're more bullish on their maturity and professionalism.

The industry sense seems to be that some teams may not make a final decision on Michkov until the final days before the draft when they've had a chance to speak face-to-face. Some have already probably ruled him out categorically, be it philosophically or at the ownership level. Not sure I recall a bigger 11th hour bit of drama, though. I still think Dvorsky's probably their guy otherwise given his profile. It's no slam dunk but my .02 hunch.

I certainly don't disagree with any of this. Really is quite an enigma pick. He really is a Mahoney type of guy though(big talent on a likely slide). I'd be shocked if he passes on him. Especially given the loose ties to Washington already. Has somewhat of a relationship with Ovi. A capitals fan, presumably an Ovi fan and the obvious Russia flavor of the caps. If they pass on him with all that in mind then I'm certain he's got some serious warts... I'll still probably be a little let down cause I'm so intrigued with what could be but we'll get a really nice prospect either way.

 

[Cush]

UPSIDE - Prospect Profiles

Prospect Profiles

sites.google.com

 

[Fantomas]

It's still to be determined if, he's executing some master plan to go where he wants to play, which is still kinda juvenile, or if he's really just "I don't wanna" regarding these interviews, which is extraordinarily juvenile.

It's not juvenile. He doesn't owe you anything. Westerners are so entitled.

Michkov is under contract to SKA. That's it. He said he's interested in playing in the NHL, but he doesn't have to grant interviews if he doesn't want to. Michkov will keep his options open but the old days of everyone kissing up to the West are over.

 

[HTFN]

It's not juvenile. He doesn't owe you anything. Westerners are so entitled.

Michkov is under contract to SKA. That's it. He said he's interested in playing in the NHL, but he doesn't have to grant interviews if he doesn't want to. Michkov will keep his options open but the old days of everyone kissing up to the West are over.

What an aggressive, dumb post. If you're interested in playing the game with the organizations to the tune of millions you play the game. That's part of the game.

 

[Vilica]

If the Michkov rumors are him trying to choose his destination, and if his target is Washington, the boards are going to be absolutely hilarious when he shows up to training camp this year signed to an ELC (if he's as good as people think he is).

"3 years contract? No, I come now."

 

[Roshi]

Im not really buying the growing gossips of Michkov trying to fall for us, but it certainly doesnt hurt the cause either. Hopefully its catching up on the decision-makers level aswell. It doesnt take but a one or two GM's to go "aside with the risks, this kid is full of himself too, lets skip him" for him to drop in our laps.

I still expect him to be the pick #4 or #5, and will be underwhelmed for us taking a safe pick or really jumping out of the box to draft a goalie because "its extremely rare you can get the best guy in the draft for his position!!". Im rooting for Benson now, atleast over Dvorsky who just feels very much the "safe pick" for me. Or obviously Leonard, if he is there, but not expecting him to.

 

[Acallabeth]

It's still to be determined if, he's executing some master plan to go where he wants to play, which is still kinda juvenile, or if he's really just "I don't wanna" regarding these interviews, which is extraordinarily juvenile.

I have never encountered anything that would make me consider Michkov to be that immature. In fact, he's always come off as a bit boring, saying mostly right things. I remember his master class for MatchTV when he was showing off his 'Michigan' attacks, and, when asked how much fun is it to scored that way, he just shrugged and responded with something like 'Meh, scoring any way is fun'. I find it more likely he's getting some questionable advice from his agent and Rotenberg (remember, the kid is 18 and has lost his father).
Whenever a Russian prospect is going as a draft favorite, there is always talk about the importance of being chosen by a 'right' team (having good history with Russian players and not expected to be prejudiced). Idk if it's relevant these days, but a lot of influential people in Russian hockey community still push the idea that there are coaches and executives reluctant to give Russians the same opportunities the NA players get. It's also important for the club that the NHL team doesn't push too hard for the player not terminating his KHL contract early. So, maybe Michkov doesn't even want a specific NHL team, but is advised not to set himself up to be picked by, idk, San Jose or Arizona.

Another (somewhat politics related, hopefully I'm not crossing the line) thing to consider is his SKA background. It doesn't mean there's some scheme in play to make him stay in the K for all his career, but:
1) It's important for him to become a star so SKA and FHR executives can point out how great they are at player development.
2) They will be very happy if he becomes a right kind of star, who will say patriotic things, support the government and always look forward to playing for national team. Kinda like Ovechkin has been for his entire career (on the contrary, I would imagine Rotenberg didn't enjoy Panarin's critical comments on Putin's politics). And it's more likely he'll fall under the influence from 'the other side' if he comes to the NHL earlier.

Or maybe he's actually not enjoying his hype and decided that interviews with NHL teams are the same as interviews with the media lol (considering that he didn't even know in May what draft combine is, it's not that unlikely).

I don't think the Caps should care about all this. At all. If Michkov is there at #8, take him and work with you high risk pick further. If not, I would be very happy if the FO aimed for other maximum reward player; we have multiple prospects who are projected to become solid players, but not sure any of them grows to become game breakers.

 

[Langway]

 

[BiPolar Caps]

This just in, Matvei Michkov has come out in support of Ivan Provorov. Further he advises that he can't wait to get to the NHL and be able to hang with Valeri Nichushkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov.

 

[HTFN]

This just in, Matvei Michkov has come out in support of Ivan Provorov. Further he advises that he can't wait to get to the NHL and be able to hang with Valeri Nichushkin and Evgeny Kuznetsov.

More from the article:

'Michkov, seen washing blood from a pair of rubber boots, went on to say global warming is a hoax and "these seals aren't going to club themselves" before leaping back into his lifted pickup completely covered in peeing Calvin stickers and peeling out of the parking lot in a puff of black smoke'

 

[BiPolar Caps]

More from the article:

'Michkov, seen washing blood from a pair of rubber boots, went on to say global warming is a hoax and "these seals aren't going to club themselves" before leaping back into his lifted pickup completely covered in peeing Calvin stickers and peeling out of the parking lot in a puff of black smoke'

Yeah, didn't want to quote that portion as I thought it was too inflammatory and uncomfortable to read for some of our more sensitive board members.

 

[kicksavedave]

I have never encountered anything that would make me consider Michkov to be that immature. In fact, he's always come off as a bit boring, saying mostly right things. I remember his master class for MatchTV when he was showing off his 'Michigan' attacks, and, when asked how much fun is it to scored that way, he just shrugged and responded with something like 'Meh, scoring any way is fun'. I find it more likely he's getting some questionable advice from his agent and Rotenberg (remember, the kid is 18 and has lost his father).
Whenever a Russian prospect is going as a draft favorite, there is always talk about the importance of being chosen by a 'right' team (having good history with Russian players and not expected to be prejudiced). Idk if it's relevant these days, but a lot of influential people in Russian hockey community still push the idea that there are coaches and executives reluctant to give Russians the same opportunities the NA players get. It's also important for the club that the NHL team doesn't push too hard for the player not terminating his KHL contract early. So, maybe Michkov doesn't even want a specific NHL team, but is advised not to set himself up to be picked by, idk, San Jose or Arizona.

Another (somewhat politics related, hopefully I'm not crossing the line) thing to consider is his SKA background. It doesn't mean there's some scheme in play to make him stay in the K for all his career, but:
1) It's important for him to become a star so SKA and FHR executives can point out how great they are at player development.
2) They will be very happy if he becomes a right kind of star, who will say patriotic things, support the government and always look forward to playing for national team. Kinda like Ovechkin has been for his entire career (on the contrary, I would imagine Rotenberg didn't enjoy Panarin's critical comments on Putin's politics). And it's more likely he'll fall under the influence from 'the other side' if he comes to the NHL earlier.

Or maybe he's actually not enjoying his hype and decided that interviews with NHL teams are the same as interviews with the media lol (considering that he didn't even know in May what draft combine is, it's not that unlikely).

I don't think the Caps should care about all this. At all. If Michkov is there at #8, take him and work with you high risk pick further. If not, I would be very happy if the FO aimed for other maximum reward player; we have multiple prospects who are projected to become solid players, but not sure any of them grows to become game breakers.

Thanks for the well thought out response. I really don't know what the total bottom line is, and I cannot see a scenario where the Caps pass on him if he is there, and the most likely scenario is that he is picked before 8 anyway. I also didn't realize he lost his dad, so maybe doing 20 interviews with teams asking him about it wasn't all that interesting anyway, I'd understand that.

I think it gets really interesting if the Caps move up to take him, because then its clear they targeted him and didn't simply let him fall into their laps. I also think, you can take more risks at 8 drafting the BPA who may not be prefect, vs trading up for that player intentionally.

Entirely possible, he's the 3rd player taken and this is all just moot jibberish.

 

[Langway]

For the 40th pick I'm liking a departure from Caps norms in big Finnish RW Kasper Halttunen. His CHL rights are held by London and if he comes over he could be in for a big year at the junior level. It probably won't happen but he's one of the more intriguing forwards that may still be available at that pick.

If not Halttunen a goalie could make sense between Augustine, Ratzlaff or Bjarnason. I assume Hrabal is definitely gone by then. Heidt, Ziemmer or Price out of the WHL could hold interest. Molendyk probably won't be available but could also be a fit. Other forwards that maybe slide: Stramel, Gauthier, Lardis, Wahlberg, Perron, Nadeau. McKenzie's final list should be a bit more interesting as it concerns that pick. He tends to nail the first round group pretty closely.

 

[Rayquaza64]

For the 40th pick I'm liking a departure from Caps norms in big Finnish RW Kasper Halttunen. His CHL rights are held by London and if he comes over he could be in for a big year at the junior level. It probably won't happen but he's one of the more intriguing forwards that may still be available at that pick.

If not Halttunen a goalie could make sense between Augustine, Ratzlaff or Bjarnason. I assume Hrabal is definitely gone by then. Heidt, Ziemmer or Price out of the WHL could hold interest. Molendyk probably won't be available but could also be a fit. Other forwards that maybe slide: Stramel, Gauthier, Lardis, Wahlberg, Perron, Nadeau. McKenzie's final list should be a bit more interesting as it concerns that pick. He tends to nail the first round group pretty closely.

Ross Mahoney drafting a Finnish player? Only when hell freezes over maybe

 

[Langway]

FWIW.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

It's not juvenile. He doesn't owe you anything. Westerners are so entitled.

Michkov is under contract to SKA. That's it. He said he's interested in playing in the NHL, but he doesn't have to grant interviews if he doesn't want to. Michkov will keep his options open but the old days of everyone kissing up to the West are over.

Lol….what a load of hooey….Dictator rules?

 

[kicksavedave]

It's not juvenile. He doesn't owe you anything. Westerners are so entitled.

Michkov is under contract to SKA. That's it. He said he's interested in playing in the NHL, but he doesn't have to grant interviews if he doesn't want to. Michkov will keep his options open but the old days of everyone kissing up to the West are over.

How stupid. Its a job interview. There can be many reasons for him not wanting, and I only mention two as a possibility, not as definite facts. But make no mistake, its a job interview and if he wants to be drafted highly, he owes it to the teams that would be committing to him to grant them an interview. And teams will routinely pass on players who refuse them an interview.

Now, having seen the new information just posted, that the KHL instructed him not to interview with other leagues because he is under contract, that makes much more sense.
None of this had anything at all to do with east vs west in anyway, you fabricated that out of thin air. Get over yourself.

FWIW.

From the article:

He also said that Michkov was told not to talk to NHL representatives who have asked to meet with him, as he's under contract for the next three years with the KHL's SKA Saint Petersburg, owned by the country's top energy giant, Gazprom.

Again this makes much more sense than any previous speculation, including any of mine.

 

[Holtbyisms]

For the 40th pick I'm liking a departure from Caps norms in big Finnish RW Kasper Halttunen. His CHL rights are held by London and if he comes over he could be in for a big year at the junior level. It probably won't happen but he's one of the more intriguing forwards that may still be available at that pick.

If not Halttunen a goalie could make sense between Augustine, Ratzlaff or Bjarnason. I assume Hrabal is definitely gone by then. Heidt, Ziemmer or Price out of the WHL could hold interest. Molendyk probably won't be available but could also be a fit. Other forwards that maybe slide: Stramel, Gauthier, Lardis, Wahlberg, Perron, Nadeau. McKenzie's final list should be a bit more interesting as it concerns that pick. He tends to nail the first round group pretty closely.

I'm 100% expecting goalie at 40.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

How stupid. Its a job interview. There can be many reasons for him not wanting, and I only mention two as a possibility, not as definite facts. But make no mistake, its a job interview and if he wants to be drafted highly, he owes it to the teams that would be committing to him to grant them an interview. And teams will routinely pass on players who refuse them an interview.

Now, having seen the new information just posted, that the KHL instructed him not to interview with other leagues because he is under contract, that makes much more sense.
None of this had anything at all to do with east vs west in anyway, you fabricated that out of thin air. Get over yourself.



From the article:




Again this makes much more sense than any previous speculation, including any of mine.

And that’s why NHL clubs are wary…

 

[Holtbyisms]

Every year we go into free agency and star players are wined and dined and pick where they want to go. How is Michkov doing the exact same thing bad?

 

[RedRocking]

“Matvei Michkov, who is both a top talent and an enigma”

I mean, we need the obligatory “talented enigmatic Russian head case” to fill Kuzy’s spot, which was passed down to him from Semin. It’s all connected - it rhymes.

Kuzy, the generous guy that he is, tried passing it to Sammy - but he lost an edge and fell into a stripper’s lap.

 

[CapitalsCupReality]

Every year we go into free agency and star players are wined and dined and pick where they want to go. How is Michkov doing the exact same thing bad?

I mean I don’t care, but it’s easy to see how that behavior from a guy who has proven nothing at the NA Pro level, can put people off.

I’m more interested to know if the KHL brass really instructed him to ignore all interview requests, and if they threatened any family members along the way.

Seriously though when has the KHL ever done that (and it’s come to light)? Is that now the standing order for all Russians?