Connor Bedard vs Matvei Michkov

[snipes]

He will go 1st in 2023 draft for sure, because he's crazy good, he's a center and he doesn't have a KHL contract.

Michkov is so good, he’ll go 2nd even with the longer KHL contract. Any team at #2 that passes on him will regret it for years and years to come if they passed up on him.

 

[Kshahdoo]

Do you know what physicality means?

Yes. This for example.

 

[prongertheman9]

Bedard was invisible in the 2nd and especially 3rd. Michkov probably had 5 times more shots on goal as well.

I would hope so since Canada took 4 straight penalties in the second and the 3rd and Russia was pressing for the tying goal

 

[prongertheman9]

Yes. This for example.

Fair enough. But do you really see Michkov playing a physical game at the NHL level? He's definitely not afraid to play in the dirty areas though that's for sure.

 

[Val]

Gretzky's fathers ancestry was from Belarus and Ukraine. Ukrainian was the only slavic language spoken in the home by his Grandmother.

These countries have existed since 1991. I think Gretzky's father is older

Michkov is MVP. Bedard have gold. What do you think Michkov wanted to barter?

 

[Hanji]

I would say the complete opposite - Bedard passes the eye test but Michkov can be invisible and still produce points.

Michkov’s ability to be invisible is a strength though.
His ability to shrug off defenders and weave in and out of traffic undetected is uncanny. Then he pounces on loose pucks and - game over.
He doesn’t drive the play like Bedard does in the neutral zone (being a center), but Michkov is no less effective in the offensive zone.
Both Bedard and Michkov passed the eye test for me. Tenfold.

 

[Kshahdoo]

Fair enough. But do you really see Michkov playing a physical game at the NHL level? He's definitely not afraid to play in the dirty areas though that's for sure.

Well, he plays pretty similar hockey to Kaprizov, and as we see, it translates very well for Kaprizov, so why not for Michkov? The only problem I see, Michkov isn't built as tanky as Kirill, but we shall see.

 

[prongertheman9]

Michkov’s ability to be invisible is a strength though.
His ability to shrug off defenders and weave in and out of traffic undetected is uncanny. Then he pounces on loose pucks and - game over.
He doesn’t drive the play like Bedard does in the neutral zone (being a center), but Michkov is no less effective in the offensive zone.
Both Bedard and Michkov passed the eye test for me. Tenfold.

Completely agree that going undetected and quick strike offense looks like a defining characteristic of Michkov's impressive game. I feel like when Bedard is playing well you will notice him, whereas Michkov doesn't have to be noticeable to be effective. - which I thought was the case tonight. Similar to Crosby vs Ovi I guess and comes down to what you value in a player.

 

[Kshahdoo]

Completely agree that going undetected and quick strike offense looks like a defining characteristic of Michkov's impressive game. I feel like when Bedard is playing well you will notice him, whereas Michkov doesn't have to be noticeable to be effective. - which I thought was the case tonight. Similar to Crosby vs Ovi I guess and comes down to what you value in a player.

Lol, it's hard to not see Ovi and his frame on the ice. There is hard to find two players as dissimilar as Ovechkin and Michkov. It's actually very hard to find someone similar to Michkov at all.

Yeah, he reminds Kaprizov in many hockey aspects, but one thing is for sure, you can't say Kaprizov is invisible on the ice. He usually is the most noticeable player on the ice.

 

[GlassesJacketShirt]

Lol, it's hard to not see Ovi and his frame on the ice. There is hard to find two players as dissimilar as Ovechkin and Michkov. It's actually very hard to find someone similar to Michkov at all.

Yeah, he reminds Kaprizov in many hockey aspects, but one thing is for sure, you can't say Kaprizov is invisible on the ice. He usually is the most noticeable player on the ice.

Bigger Caufield with higher upside. Caufield's bread and butter 5-on-5 is to sneak in on the short side, while his shot and scoring instincts make him a demon on the powerplay.

 

[prongertheman9]

Lol, it's hard to not see Ovi and his frame on the ice. There is hard to find two players as dissimilar as Ovechkin and Michkov. It's actually very hard to find someone similar to Michkov at all.

Yeah, he reminds Kaprizov in many hockey aspects, but one thing is for sure, you can't say Kaprizov is invisible on the ice. He usually is the most noticeable player on the ice.

Same physicality as Ovi though

 

[SupremeTeam16]

I like Matvei but he’s kind of a little Michkov.

 

[Kshahdoo]

Same physicality as Ovi though

Probably even more... per pound of weight.

 

[prongertheman9]

Lol, it's hard to not see Ovi and his frame on the ice. There is hard to find two players as dissimilar as Ovechkin and Michkov. It's actually very hard to find someone similar to Michkov at all.

Yeah, he reminds Kaprizov in many hockey aspects, but one thing is for sure, you can't say Kaprizov is invisible on the ice. He usually is the most noticeable player on the ice.

Similar to Ovi in that they don’t need to look like they are having a good game and still score 3 goals.

 

[prongertheman9]

Probably even more... per pound of weight.

I heard they are going to start measuring physicality per pound at the combine.

 

[Kojo]

I'm thinking Bedard is better but they're both amazing for their age.

 

[ConnorMcMullet]

Excellent showings from both of them obviously, anyone saying otherwise is kidding themselves.

I will say this though: in the medal rounds, I thought Bedard elevated his game and was the tournament's most dangerous player, ahead of both Wright and Michkov.

 

[alko]

Gretzky's fathers ancestry was from Belarus and Ukraine. Ukrainian was the only slavic language spoken in the home by his Grandmother.

Vyacheslav Gretsky say Hi.

 

[waitin425]

Is this another McDavid vs Eichel situation? (Pre-draft) or more of a Taylor vs Tyler situation?

 

[Kshahdoo]

Is this another McDavid vs Eichel situation? (Pre-draft) or more of a Taylor vs Tyler situation?

More like Ovechkin vs Malkin situation.

 

[GermanSpitfire]

Is this another McDavid vs Eichel situation? (Pre-draft) or more of a Taylor vs Tyler situation?

Ovi vs Crosby if they were in the same draft class

 

[CheckingLineCenter]

So much can still happen from now to June 2023 and beyond. So I don’t want to pre-ordain anyone this far out… but pretty hard to not be excited for the future of the sport and league with the way these two played in this tourney. Color me very impressed by both guys.

 

[Maplebeasts]

Honestly no idea. Bedard has more exposure in the WHL, but Michkov is doing things that are practically unheard of in Russia. There is a very real chance he will be a full time, valuable KHLer in his D-1. That is NUTS. We'll have a better idea after next season but this looks like a contender for best top 2 in draft history.

 

[Dion TheFluff]

was Bedard playing center this year in the WHL?

 

[Maplebeasts]

Michkov is so good, he’ll go 2nd even with the longer KHL contract. Any team at #2 that passes on him will regret it for years and years to come if they passed up on him.

It's not exactly unheard of for players to either have their contracts in Europe terminated or bought out. I suspect whoever drafts Michkov will try and do the same.