Prospect Info: Round 1, 7th overall: Matvei Michkov, RW, SKA St. Petersburg (KHL)

[Tripod]

This was plainly obvious on draft day. The simplest and clearest path and they couldn't manage it.

It's so frustrating to watch them not get out of their own way.

 

[Fuzz]

They should be looking to leverage TK to move up in the draft and get MM's boy

^^^^^THIS

 

[TheKingPin]

Get as many Russians as you can and hope they love each other and Philly and take discount when they sign

 

[Tripod]

Do I pay to watch them next year, that is the question.

 

[Cody Webster]

This is the concern

Lol. Dont pay any attention to this clown. He's a Habs homer who hates MM because the Habs didn't draft him

 

[Devonator]

This is great news....now we really have something to look forward to with our Flyers....now the question is, how will this effect us at the upcoming draft!

 

[Juicy Pop]

This is great news....now we really have something to look forward to with our Flyers....now the question is, how will this effect us at the upcoming draft!

I doubt it changes much of the process behind the picks/trades, but it does make these next few weeks more crucial to hit on.

If anything, Briere and co. have known for at least a few weeks, if not more, so it's probably already factored into their plans.

 

[CapnZin]

There's only honor in selecting top 5-10 if you trade up. What you lose in assets, you gain in pride and character.

The time to take a step back was this year, when Michkov was in the KHL (presumably for another year or two). The Flyers response was to compete for the playoffs and not really sell. I’d be floored if their response to Michkov coming over early is to trade their best player. The good news is Alex Bump is pushing his way into high end prospect territory.

Who is Alex bump

 

[Juicy Pop]

Who is Alex bump

Bonk's best friend

 

[BernieParent]

Now we know why Hilferty was talking about all that 2025-2026 cap space. This rebuild has been long and arduous. My daughter wasn't even born yet when it started; now I'm a grandfather. I can't wait to take the little squirt to a Michkov game.

 

[Magua]

Winning a Cup by 2062 sounds optimistic. But I’ll try to live healthily.

 

[Kermit the Prog]

Personally, I’m getting a kick about everyone doing the pee pee dance about this news.

 

[AdamParrot]

Wooooooooo!

 

[BackToTheBrierePatch]

They shouldn’t make the trade to move up until the draft. If their guy is there at 7 then you make the move

 

[DrinkFightFlyers]

1) When will Michkov jerseys be for sale?
2) Where can a KHL jersey be purchased?

 

[Embiid]

View attachment 885908
Hope he gets TORTS fired mid-season. It won't happen, but that's the dream.

Torts is already scheduling an inaugural bag skate for Michkov when he arrives...

 

[Random Forest]

Michkov is so intriguing because, aside from his lacrosse goals and occasional clever move, I find his highlights relatively… unspectacular? He isn’t a Demidov-style dangler, he doesn’t wire the puck like Bedard, he doesn’t burn people like Cooley.

He’s just always involved on the puck and creates an insane number of chances by being “there” and tenaciously chasing chances.

Much more of a Crosby style attacker than anyone else. I know this is what we call “hockey IQ” and “hockey sense”… it’s just remarkable that a player can be so prolific without necessarily scoring elite marks on the more visible skills. Will be fascinating to see what he can turn into.

 

[flyersnorth]

Well this season just got way more interesting.

I could see a Tippett/Frost/Michkov line.

 

[thedjpd]

Michkov is so intriguing because, aside from his lacrosse goals and occasional clever move, I find his highlights relatively… unspectacular? He isn’t a Demidov-style dangler, he doesn’t wire the puck like Bedard, he doesn’t burn people like Cooley.

He’s just always involved on the puck and creates an insane number of chances by being “there” and tenaciously chasing chances.

Much more of a Crosby style attacker than anyone else. I know this is what we call “hockey IQ” and “hockey sense”… it’s just remarkable that a player can be so prolific without necessarily scoring elite marks on the more visible skills. Will be fascinating to see what he can turn into.

I’ve seen the same. It’s why I think they may be considering moving him to C as well. Crosby is also just 5’11 - but thick - and is really described as a player who is an elite grinder. MM has a rump on him as well and from draft day photos seems a couple inches taller than DB who is 5.9, so he may be around 5’11 as well.

MM is elite on the boards, behind the net, strong at breaking the puck out from the d zone. I dunno, just a hunch. He has good skills all around but an ultra elite IQ.

I think this is why they want Pinto so bad, so they can have some size up the middle.

 

[Appleyard]

Michkov is so intriguing because, aside from his lacrosse goals and occasional clever move, I find his highlights relatively… unspectacular? He isn’t a Demidov-style dangler, he doesn’t wire the puck like Bedard, he doesn’t burn people like Cooley.

He’s just always involved on the puck and creates an insane number of chances by being “there” and tenaciously chasing chances.

Much more of a Crosby style attacker than anyone else. I know this is what we call “hockey IQ” and “hockey sense”… it’s just remarkable that a player can be so prolific without necessarily scoring elite marks on the more visible skills. Will be fascinating to see what he can turn into.

Said this a few months ago in terms of Crosby playing similarly... he is in the OZ more often than not just a relentless force who uses IQ and mucks and grinds way to soft areas of ice. Exhausts defenses.

 

[Cskavars]

This almost guarantees we sign a veteran Russian to help him adjust… unless Zamula is filling that role?

wonder if Tarasenko fits this role as he is UFA.. doesnt fit flyers timeline but a thought that could work

 

[Random Forest]

Said this a few months ago in terms of Crosby playing similarly... he is in the OZ more often than not just a relentless force who uses IQ and mucks and grinds way to soft areas of ice. Exhausts defenses.

A long time ago, someone made the distinction to me that “hockey IQ” is knowing what play to make, where to be, etc. while “hockey sense” is having that intuitive feel for the soft things like just how long to hold onto the puck before passing it through a seem, or exactly when to activate into a soft area when you’re off the puck and anticipating a play, etc.

Always thought that was a good framework for what hockey sense is. Crosby is the best player I’ve ever seen in terms of that “sense”. Better than McDavid. But McDavid obviously has “visible” skills that Crosby never had.

I do wonder where Michkov lands on those scales. His physical gifts are not extraordinary. How far can that sense take him?

 

[thedjpd]

A long time ago, someone made the distinction to me that “hockey IQ” is knowing what play to make, where to be, etc. while “hockey sense” is having that intuitive feel for the soft things like just how long to hold onto the puck before passing it through a seem, or exactly when to activate into a soft area when you’re off the puck and anticipating a play, etc.

Always thought that was a good framework for what hockey sense is. Crosby is the best player I’ve ever seen in terms of that “sense”. Better than McDavid. But McDavid obviously has “visible” skills that Crosby never had.

I do wonder where Michkov lands on those scales. His physical gifts are not extraordinary. How far can that sense take him?

I mean, Crosby is a top 10 player of all time. He doesn’t have a ton of those obvious physical gifts either, so I’d say that far

 

[Kermit the Prog]

I remember when Gretzky was starting out and in an early-1980s interview, he said the best advice he learned from his father, Walter, was not where the puck is, but where it is going to be.

"Go there."

He was playing 4-D chess while everyone else was playing checkers, knowing where the puck was going to be two or three steps ahead.

 

[Fight4yourRight]

I mean, Crosby is a top 10 player of all time. He doesn’t have a ton of those obvious physical gifts either, so I’d say that far

Uhhh.. have you seen his lower body?