Adam Michaels
Registered User
A month before the Slafkovsky draft, Russian media reported that Philadelphia and Montreal would not be taking Russians in the upcoming draft.
I remember this report.
The report was correct, and neither team took any Russians. The Habs also traded the only Russian player off their roster on the same day.
I don't think they traded Romanov because he was Russian. I think it was because Habs saw an opportunity to acquire Dach. And because it took a 1st round pick to get him, Romanov was the one who had the value to acquire that 1st from the Isles. And with the influx of LDs who were turning pro (Guhle, Xhekaj & Harris). Romanov became dispensable.
They also fired their Russian scout and had zero presence in Russia.
I don't know if they fired him or his contract was up and didn't renew it. Either way, they already had Boisvert who is an international crossover scout. They had Rockstrom who is a European scout. And they had Bobrov with connections in Russia. And they have their scouts not just be in their own corners, but it's a more collaborative effort.
They've drafted Russians in 2023 and 2024 without a Russian scout.
Just last year, the Habs were the first team in forever to not have any Russians on their NHL or AHL roster.
I’m sure the situation amongst the players wasn’t toxic towards Russians, but there weren’t any Russians to be toxic too. Management clearly had a moral stance against Russian players at the time, and by the time Michkov came around the damage was already done regarding Montreal’s image in Russia.
Not taking Michkov had nothing to do with him being Russian. Because in the same draft, Habs took Konyushkov and Volokhin. And in 2024 they took Demidov and Khanin.
Not taking Michkov had to be either the info the Habs gathered on him turned them off or his 3 years remaining on his contrat also made them weary of taking him.