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

[Jaynki]

There are too many risk involved in Michkov at pick 2 or 3...Fantilli and Carlsson...straight forward picks...great players...gifted and talented.

I 100% agree. But Michkov in his prime is a potential top 5 player in the league.

Like i said, i would pick Carlsson, Fantilli and Smith ahead of him. Let's just not discount the possibility that he may be picked 2-4.

We are all about what if he don't comes, the risk, etc... but what if Michkov comes in 3 years?

 

[ottawa]

It means nothing.

Last year we thought that they would leak or prepare us to draft Slafkovsky if that was the case. Nothing was leaked nor did they prepare us for anything.

They don't f***ing care. And its perfect like that.

The truth is we won't know until it's made.

RDS/TVA were on the Slaf hype train leading up to draft day IIRC.

I'm fairly certain I remember a lot of people on here mentioning that they're putting the PR to work by preparing us for the non-Wright selection.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Michkov won't be at the combine, no Russians were last year

 

[dackelljuneaubulis02]

If Smith goes at 3, I make that trade 10/10 times.

I would too but what if Michkov goes before our pick as well?

 

[Runner77]

If we pass on Michkov I will lose all faith that I have in this new front office. Whatever intel they gather on his situation with Russia etc would have to be devastatingly bad to pass on a player of his ilk imo.

I just don't see it. Hughes does not come off as a stupid man nor seem adverse to risk.

I think he would walk up to the pdium with the smile of the cat that got the canary in this situation.

I’m good if they decide that Michkov is not for them but don’t just pass on the guy, get compensated for it. Auction off the pick.

Michkov won't be at the combine, no Russians were last year

That’s unfortunate. Would have gone a long way in reassuring teams.

 

[HabbyGuy]

I’m good if they decide that Michkov is not for them but don’t just pass on the guy, get compensated for it. Auction off the pick.


That’s unfortunate. Would have gone a long way in reassuring teams.

They'd certainly have options only afforded by having that pick for sure.

I'm just of the mind they keep it and take him.

 

[ottawa]

Michkov won't be at the combine, no Russians were last year

I want to say that it's because their invasion had just started 5 months prior and with things like the CHL banning Russians/Belarusian from the import draft (among many other anti-Russian sentiments around the world outside of the hockey world), maybe Russians were less inclined/enthused to send their guys to the combine or come over themselves in fear of what the Russian govt might do since they were more anti-American than ever during that period as well.

But that's just me being optimistic about Michkov being there in 2023. I have no clue lol

 

[Runner77]

They'd certainly have options only afforded by having that pick for sure.

Also: we’ll get a top player out of this. We just don’t know who or how.

 

[austin316]

Zero chance this management group takes Michkov.

Our pick will be Reinbacher at #5.

 

[Goldenhands]

Just read the Arpon Basu article and another important issue in drafting Mitchkov would be the lack of grip when it comes to his development. We would have to rely on his KHL team to develop him properly when we all know KHL is not a developmental league and the game played there is pretty different than how its played in the NHL. Basically, the Habs would have no control on his development and it sounds to me pretty contradictory with the culture the new management want to implant over here.

The article also mention that the org. value charactere, compete and that its pretty hard to assess those things on videos alone.

Conclusion, I think we can forget Michkov.

 

[Koivu11]

Zero chance this management group takes Michkov.

Based on what?

 

[SwiftyHab]

If they don’t want Michkov at 5, HuGo should put their big boy pants and shop around to get max value for the pick. IMO they get better value in return than going for a second tier player and avoid a big fiasco.

Washingtons 1st this year and next year.

 

[Koivu11]

Just read the Arpon Basu article and another important issue in drafting Mitchkov would be the lack of grip when it comes to his development. We would have to rely on his KHL team to develop him properly when we all know KHL is not a developmental league and the game played there is pretty different than how its played in the NHL. Basically, the Habs would have no control on his development and it sounds to me pretty contradictory with the culture the new management want to implant over here.

The article also mention that the org. value charactere, compete and that its pretty hard to assess those things on videos alone.

Conclusion, I think we can forget Michkov.

Kaprizov’s development seems to have been okay.

 

[SwiftyHab]

Just read the Arpon Basu article and another important issue in drafting Mitchkov would be the lack of grip when it comes to his development. We would have to rely on his KHL team to develop him properly when we all know KHL is not a developmental league and the game played there is pretty different than how its played in the NHL. Basically, the Habs would have no control on his development and it sounds to me pretty contradictory with the culture the new management want to implant over here.

The article also mention that the org. value charactere, compete and that its pretty hard to assess those things on videos alone.

Conclusion, I think we can forget Michkov.

Our director of amateur scouting’s dad is a scout for Michkov’s team in russia. We have some access to him

 

[ottawa]

Based on what?

I refuse to believe the "habs want to de-russify" or whatever they're calling it. Russians have played such an important role in our franchises history.

I also refuse to believe Hughes wants to avoid Michkov because he wants to play it safe. He picked Slaf over Wright, he traded Dach for a 13th/Romanov (yes, I know he's a Russian).

He plays things to the chest, any insider claiming the habs will or won't take him has no clue and knows it's easy clicks from habs fans.

 

[Lafleurs Guy]

The worst we can do is most definitely not Smith lol

In the perfect world, we get one of either Carlsson , Smith or Michkov, and everybody should rejoice at any 1 of those 3, ANY of those 3, we all should be doing backflips

In the Bad world however, which SEEMS like the one we are currently in, for now, as it looks, it will look something more like, 1. Bedard 2. Fantilli 3. Carlsson 4. Smith and at 5. Us. The pick should be Michkov here (it should be the pick at 2 even ffs) BUT, very strong chance they don't go there, which would obviously PISS me off but I would also know the "why" they wouldn't of done it as well, which is insane that that entire situation with him is happening at all.

So no, we can and most likely will do a WHOLE lot worse than "Smith" sadly,
If we live in the Bad world.
Which.. ehhh

I think we’ll take Michkov if he’s around. Why worry about this before it happens? Mitch might be gone third or fourth…

 

[Goldenhands]

Kaprizov’s development seems to have been okay.

Yep, but it only took 6 yrs before he comes over, he was a late pick, in an era where it was still possible to travel to Russia to meet those kids.

 

[WinterLion]

Just read the Arpon Basu article and another important issue in drafting Mitchkov would be the lack of grip when it comes to his development. We would have to rely on his KHL team to develop him properly when we all know KHL is not a developmental league and the game played there is pretty different than how its played in the NHL. Basically, the Habs would have no control on his development and it sounds to me pretty contradictory with the culture the new management want to implant over here.

The article also mention that the org. value charactere, compete and that its pretty hard to assess those things on videos alone.

Conclusion, I think we can forget Michkov.

Did Arpon quote any sources or is it just his speculation?

 

[Kennerback]

Washingtons 1st this year and next year.

Assuming they don’t want to take him, sell the pick to Pittsburgh, Wings or Caps, get more out of it. Not all teams would pay a premium on the pick but some would.

 

[Goldenhands]

Did Arpon quote any sources or is it just his speculation?

Speculation, but still pretty legit arguments that make alot of sense.

 

[Jack Skellington]

I'm not saying I think the Habs are going to take Michkov or that they aren't, but what people need to realize is that for him to even get to our pick, the situation can't be all sunshine and lollipops or else he won't be available in the first place. Him showing up to the combine, the draft, showing the desire to buy out his contract; stuff like that sounds real good to Habs fans. It sounds just as good to San Jose fans.

He's to me, the 2nd best player in the draft (and closer to 1 than 3) so the only way the 5th spot even gets a sniff at him is if everyone around the situation is apprehensive, negative, fear mongering, etc. Otherwise San Jose is sprinting to the podium to announce their pick before we even get a chance to think about it.

If dudes on a message board and complete waste of space journalists like Arpon Basu and Eric Engels could actually gain even a sliver of an insight into Hughes and Gorton's true draft plans.. we should fire them instantly because other teams would have figured them out long ago.

We are actually in an ideal spot. Any earlier and the risk reward for a lot of GMs would start to tip the balance. Any later and it's an extremely easy decision to take Michkov. I do think a lot of this relies on CBJ being big on Smith. If they don't bite and they take Carlsson, I think SJ grabs Michkov

And Wethreekings, with no disrespect, I remember you trying to gauge HuGos decision based on context clues last season, saying that if they didn't start to soften the Slaf blow leading up to the draft that they likely wouldn't do it. They fooled you, and me, and most of the rest of us. So I don't know why you're falling for it again.

 

[WinterLion]

Speculation, but still pretty legit arguments that make alot of sense.

Is there anything that won't apply to all the clubs?

 

[rabbit4949]

What is the difference in risk? Getting a Russian kid to play after a 3 year contract in KHL or getting a Boston area kid to play after 3 years in NCAA in Boston. He can then become a free agent and sign with the Bruins.

 

[FrankMTL]

I believe Mckenzie has Smith ahead of Carlsson but most still have it the other way around.

Fantilli is a Duck. Jarmo will go Center, not sure who. Idk if SJ will go other Center or Michkov.

It’s not McKenzie, it’s the scouts he polled which I would take more seriously than some of the so called draft experts. McKenzie’s reputation is one of the best in the business so if he says some scouts have Smith Top 3 then who am I to argue…..obviously this doesn’t mean that Smith will automatically be drafted Top 3 as some of the scouts he polled may not even be picking in the Top 10 and opinions may change based on the World Championships.

 

[Gravity]

I would too but what if Michkov goes before our pick as well?

Over Fantilli? I doubt it.