I saw Michkov as very similar to Caufield. Elite scorer, but not necessarily a play driver. Don't need 2 of those. I understand the "use him as trade bait" argument, but the uncertainty surrounding his contract situation and his apparent unwillingness to communicate with NHL teams certainly reduced his value in that regard. The rumors of attitude issues (whether accurate or not) would have given me pause were I part of the management team, especially considering the recent focus on team culture.
Elite right-handed defensemen, on the other hand, are far from common, and generally only become available either through the draft, or blockbuster trade. Taking a "chance" on the consensus #1 d-man in the draft, at a position that was entirely reasonable, should never have received the level of criticism it did. I take no issue with someone who would have preferred Michkov, but to react the way some people did was pathetic, honestly.
Great pick? Absolutely.