Confirmed with Link: Canadiens Will Pick 5th (Hughes Presser in OP) NO POLITICS

[Catanddogguitarrr]

Ovechkin said if he ever played anywhere besides WSH it would be MTL. Malkin said MTL or NYR. Honestly, since Ovechkin is retiring in the next few years, if Michkov asked his advice on where he should play I wouldn't be surprised if Ovi said to give MTL a chance.


Although Michkov looked pretty happy at the beach so maybe he wants to go to San Jose

And if HuGo get Ovy in 2 years for a playoff run? We had a late Kovalchuck, why not an late Ovy? I'd like to see that !

 

[Kennerback]

“Michkov will go to Washington, you’ll see,” the source told Match TVand translated via Google Translate. “The Capitals will definitely take him – there is only one competitor for [them], San Jose,
who will make the fourth choice. Because, the owner of the club loves Russian hockey very much, and he is a fan of Igor Larionov.

I think SJ will go Smith. Caps will snag him at 8, if available. I’d be quite surprised if he gets to the Wings at 9.

 

[Runner77]

Can you agree nothing is done yet, we are not in 2026 and Mitchkov is only a projected player. He can bust, he might never come, he can be half-bust, he can be 80% what you expect and 100% what you expect. Same for everyone except the others don't have the geopolitical context. The media environment could be a distraction for Mitch. As a public person, he will have to answer questions about the war?

Even if he comes here, the stats would say out of the 6, one might become better and 2 would become equal. It happens all the time. Dvorsky, Reinbacher, Leonard, Benson and few others have all interresting projected potential. The idea is making the potential happen or who is better suited to accomplish his potential?

You managed to name 5 players in a post without abbreviating the names of any of them.

“Mitchkov” salutes you.

 

[HabbyGuy]

Can you agree nothing is done yet, we are not in 2026 and Mitchkov is only a projected player. He can bust, he might never come, he can be half-bust, he can be 80% what you expect and 100% what you expect. Same for everyone except the others don't have the geopolitical context. The media environment could be a distraction for Mitch. As a public person, he will have to answer questions about the war?

Even if he comes here, the stats would say out of the 6, one might become better and 2 would become equal. It happens all the time. Dvorsky, Reinbacher, Leonard, Benson and few others have all interresting projected potential. The idea is making the potential happen or who is better suited to accomplish his potential?

You're missing the point, yes no one knows for certain who will flop or who will not. And yes the law of averages suggests that someone picked lower ends up being better than their draft spot proposed.

No matter if what you're saying is true, you should always go with BPA, and that means the one with the greatest upside. No matter if they reach their ultimate potential or not.

Why is everyone around here willing to throw away the greatest reward, when nothing they choose to do is guaranteed anyway?

It's so annoying, it doesn't make sense.

 

[Catanddogguitarrr]

Guess there's a possibility Bedard, Michkov and Benson all get drafted in the top 10.

The point of this post is small players have to get drafted top 10 or if they have some success once in the nhl?

 

[Canadienna]

In my opinion, this all sounds like Michkov is angling for one or maybe two teams.

He could be telling teams he doesn't intend to come over in 2026 except for the teams he wants to go to, ala Jagr and Pittsburgh.

No sense in drafting him if the Habs are not one of these teams, as he will always have the leverage over the Habs.

It sucks but it's what it sounds like. We won't know for years until some stories finally come out.

 

[OnTheRun]

The point of this post is small players have to get drafted top 10 or if they have some success once in the nhl?

The point was it's rare to have multiple small players going top10 in the same draft.

 

[HabbyGuy]

People here are more certain that Michkov becomes an NHL superstar than any other player in the draft....its hilarious and insane.
Skill is only one aspect of a player and the career they will have.

Sigh. Who has higher upside at our spot in the draft over him? No one is saying it's certain.

 

[Catanddogguitarrr]

You're missing the point, yes no one knows for certain who will flop or who will not. And yes the law of averages suggests that someone picked lower ends up being better than their draft spot proposed.

No matter if what you're saying is true, you should always go with BPA, and that means the one with the greatest upside. No matter if they reach their ultimate potential or not.

Why is everyone around here willing to throw away the greatest reward, when nothing they choose to do is guaranteed anyway?

It's so annoying, it doesn't make sense.

One big part of the decision is not only going for the ceiling but the character of the player. That's why the interview is so important and the reports from different sources. We don't want another Grabovsky, Galchenyuk or Drouin.

The point was it's rare to have multiple small players going top10 in the same draft.

I didn't know that and it's good I learned something today.

 

[The Real Timo]

Oh ffs... is there seriously 9 more days before draft?

 

[HabbyGuy]

One big part of the decision is not only going for the ceiling but the character of the player. That's why the interview is so important and the reports from different sources. We don't want another Grabovsky, Galchenyuk or Drouin.

So if the interview goes well, will that change your mind at all towards the other players you like instead? And make your prior feelings obsolete? What if the guys you like don't interview well? Will that tarnish your belief in them as a hockey player for the future?

 

[Catanddogguitarrr]

In my opinion, this all sounds like Michkov is angling for one or maybe two teams.

He could be telling teams he doesn't intend to come over in 2026 except for the teams he wants to go to, ala Jagr and Pittsburgh.

No sense in drafting him if the Habs are not one of these teams, as he will always have the leverage over the Habs.

It sucks but it's what it sounds like. We won't know for years until some stories finally come out.

He can choose to stay in the KHL and make as much money as in the NHL, maybe even more. NHL for him is to compete with the best of the world.

 

[McGees]

Sigh. Who has higher upside at our spot in the draft over him? No one is saying it's certain.

Sigh. Who has the most red flags in the top 10?

 

[HabbyGuy]

Sigh. Who has the most red flags in the top 10?

You mean the geopolitical ones, because all the others are completely unsubstantiated. The only thing we know for certain is his contract situation.

 

[Catanddogguitarrr]

So if the interview goes well, will that change your mind at all to the other players you like instead? And make your prior feelings obsolete? What if the guys you like don't interview well?

Yes and I trust the new management. But the prior feeling obsolete applies also for you too, hahaha, nice one, wink, and anyone. I swear I will accept the decision with peace in my mind, namasthe, I won't rage, I won't kick on my walls because I feel this team is a good one and they will take the best decision. Take my word.

 

[habdynasty]

Michkov is going to love the weather in San Jose

 

[Runner77]

Yes and I trust the new management. But the prior feeling obsolete applies also for you too, hahaha, nice one, wink, and anyone. I swear I will accept the decision with peace in my mind, namasthe, I won't rage, I won't kick on my walls because I feel this team is a good one and they will take the best decision. Take my word.

There’s BobbyMac’s list around the corner to help get a better lay of the land and there’s whatever 5D chess moves that Hughes is contemplating. This could get interesting.

 

[HabbyGuy]

Yes and I trust the new management. But the prior feeling obsolete applies also for you too, hahaha, nice one, wink, and anyone. I swear I will accept the decision with peace in my mind, namasthe, I won't rage, I won't kick on my walls because I feel this team is a good one and they will take the best decision. Take my word.

I trust them too, so if the interview goes well I assume that means Michkov should be the pick?

Because all things being equal he would be BPA.

 

[Wats]

Sigh. Who has the most red flags in the top 10?

What do you qualify as red flag because all of prospects have them besides Bedard and maybe Fantilli.

Won't be hard for this management to be better at drafting/developing than Bergevins disaster but would be nice if they can actually be good at it for once. Slafkovsky+Leonard/Reinbacher/Dvorsky with a 1st/5th overall has to result in important core players.

 

[OnTheRun]

You mean the geopolitical ones, because all the others are completely unsubstantiated. The only thing we know for certain is his contact situation.

Saying it's unsubstantiated isn't fully accurate either.

Teams will have their own intel and will use that to determine if it's just smoke or... fire.

 

[HabbyGuy]

Saying it's unsubstantiated isn't fully accurate either.

Teams will have their own intel and will use that to determine if it's just smoke or... fire.

Well it kinda is because we don't know until we know, you know? Because this is our discourse on these forums, not the discussions the managment team is having. The red flags people are using in their arguments against him here on HFB are unsubstantiated. Until proven otherwise.

 

[Catanddogguitarrr]

There’s BobbyMac’s list around the corner to help get a better lay of the land and there’s whatever 5D chess moves that Hughes is contemplating. This could get interesting.

He can move up if he wants badly Carlsson ...or Smith, especially Carlsson who is the perfect prototype to succeed in NHL and have a long career. I see him huge. And Fantili too. But Smith is very interresting too.

 

[Frank Drebin]

Is it possible, that michkov has the same or similar red flags that yakupov had?

Yak was injured for a good part of his draft year (31g and 69pts in 42 games) but during his 17 year old season with Sarnia, he scored 49 g and 101 points in 65 games. For reference, Nick Suzuki scored 34g and 94pts in 59 games during his 20 year old season.

Undersized? Yes. Questionable attitude? Maybe. But the talent with yakupov was too great to ignore.

 

[McGees]

You mean the geopolitical ones, because all the others are completely unsubstantiated.

What do you qualify as red flag because all of prospects have them besides Bedard and maybe Fantilli.

Won't be hard for this management to be better at drafting/developing than Bergevins disaster but would be nice if they can actually be good at it for once. Slafkovsky+Leonard/Reinbacher/Dvorsky with a 1st/5th overall has to result in important core players.

The fact he hasn't even granted an interview yet lol.
The fact our scouts haven't watched him live in a year or 2.
The fact that our GM HEAVILY believes in development, won't have a say on it for 3 years MINIMUM.
Never mind all the mood rumors coming out - and usually when there is smoke there is fire with that stuff. - but I won't even count that for now.

5th pick is too valuable to throw at an enigma. I don't even care if he one day comes over and is ends up better than a player we end up picking.
Too much drama, too much uncertainty when it isn't house money you are playing with.

 

[HabbyGuy]

The fact he hasn't even granted an interview yet lol.
The fact our scouts haven't watched him live in a year or 2.
The fact that our GM HEAVILY believes in development, won't have a say on it for 3 years MINIMUM.
Never mind all the mood rumors coming out - and usually when there is smoke there is fire with that stuff. - but I won't even count that for now.

5th pick is too valuable to throw at an enigma. I don't even care if he one day comes over and is ends up better than a player we end up picking.
Too much drama, too much uncertainty when it isn't house money you are playing with.

Noise this is all I hear reading this. Noise. The rumours about interviews and mood issues.

Our management team will have done their best to get the proper information I'm sure, and until I hear them say that these things are concerrns for them. I will continue to feel he's our best choice.