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

[AdamParrot]

Do have have Michkov? Yeaaaah.

Gauthier & Michkov & Hart are very good starters to build around.

York (2D) & Foerster (1st line winger level) as another pieces sounds also pretty good.

Next year(s) we need to find 1D & 1C (as I prefer Gauthier on winger more than C).

 

[Hanji]

Just started reading about Michkov's dad and the rumors that he was trying to get Michkov out of his KHL contract, left home saying that he'd be right back, then they find him dead after Michkov apparently received a mysterious call from someone on a device with bad reception somewhere...

crazy story


Other stories/articles say he died naturally and that it was confirmed multiple times.

Father of top NHL Draft prospect Matvei Michkov found dead

According to the official Russian hockey Twitter, Andrei Michkov’s death came under “unexplained circumstances.”

www.dailyfaceoff.com

I'm trying to avoid getting into the weeds on this, but I think it's worth noting that a journalist critical of mobsters was once thrown out his bathroom window (which had bars on it), and his death was ruled as a heart attack while moving his bathtub. You know, as happens. You go to move your bathtub (as you often do), have a heart attack, and jump yourself through steel bars to your death.

I mean, maybe it really was natural. But...yeah. You can't always trust such rulings.

You think the Flyers would be okay with sending Michkov back to SKA if those rumors had an ounce of validity?
Shit, no team would draft him if they were.

Not every tragedy in Russia is a James Bond murder mystery. 99.999% of the time it isnt even though we’re politically conditioned to believe as such.

It’s so disrespectful to Michkov and his father.

 

[Striiker]

We got Michkov because Hockey Guys like this exist

 

[LegionOfDoom91]

We got Michkov because Hockey Guys like this exist

Must be big Culture Club fans.

 

[BillDineen]

Torts would have wanted Reinbacher over Michkov as well. Let's be honest

 

[Embiid]

Must be big Culture Club fans.

Montreal fans are sadly singing "Do you really want to hurt me, do you really want to make me cry"

Meanwhile in Philly...."I tumble for ya...."(Michkov).

 

[Rebels57]

Must be big Culture Club fans.

 

[Redpath]

I'm still in disbelief that we pulled this off.

 

[Caser]

Some of my favorite highlights of him from the stuff I haven't seen posted here yet:

The customized Michigan:


The goalie mask goal (I mean who, except of Michkov, would've even thought of doing that in this situation?):


The quick assist right out of a puck battle (selfish and bad at playmaking, eh?):

 

[deadhead]

This explains some of the up and down views of Michkov.

https://thehockeynews.com/news/the-tale-of-matvei-michkov-the-rise-fall-and-resurgence-of-a-top-prospect

3 years in the KHL should polish his game and make him an instant impact player when he comes over.
If the Flyers are a 90+ point team going into 2026-27, he could make them a 100+ point team.

 

[DAVIDE1333]

Torts would have wanted Reinbacher over Michkov as well. Let's be honest

I wish there was a "sad" like for this.

 

[BrindamoursNose]

This is going to be a weird comment, but I love that he's a showboater

Good.

Walk around with that thing swinging.

 

[FLYguy3911]

Rumor has it Torts is attempting to get this scrubbed from the internet.



Btw was he even there this week? Guy has personnel say and can't be bothered to show his face at the draft.

 

[Hollywood Cannon]

This is going to be a weird comment, but I love that he's a showboater

Good.

Walk around with that thing swinging.

"I'm just not so sure it's good for the game"

 

[Hollywood Cannon]

Rumor has it Torts is attempting to get this scrubbed from the internet.



Btw was he even there this week? Guy has personnel say and can't be bothered to show his face at the draft.

He was not. Just another reason why we can't be sure that Torts is even the coach anymore. We haven't heard from him in weeks. I don't like it but thems the rules these days.

 

[BrindamoursNose]

"I'm just not so sure it's good for the game"

Tortorella, in that moment, made it so absurdly clear how much of a dinosaur he is.

 

[Hollywood Cannon]

Tortorella, in that moment, made it so absurdly clear how much of a dinosaur he is.

Yeah, but you see, that's not what he ACTUALLY meant.

We have people on here that were able to translate it for us because they know what is going on in Tortorella's head every time that he says something stupid.

 

[AndHeMissedTheNet]

We got Michkov because Hockey Guys like this exist

imagine this board's reaction if the Flyers passed on Michkov and then came out in the media and said this.

 

[Beef Invictus]

You think the Flyers would be okay with sending Michkov back to SKA if those rumors had an ounce of validity?
Shit, no team would draft him if they were.

Not every tragedy in Russia is a James Bond murder mystery. 99.999% of the time it isnt even though we’re politically conditioned to believe as such.

It’s so disrespectful to Michkov and his father.

Yes, I think the Flyers would be OK sending him back.

 

[BrindamoursNose]

imagine this board's reaction if the Flyers passed on Michkov and then came out in the media and said this.

 

[Beef Invictus]

imagine this board's reaction if the Flyers passed on Michkov and then came out in the media and said this.

Only Montreal can routinely out-Flyers the Flyers. Their heads are just as far up their own asses

 

[sa cyred]

This explains some of the up and down views of Michkov.

https://thehockeynews.com/news/the-tale-of-matvei-michkov-the-rise-fall-and-resurgence-of-a-top-prospect

3 years in the KHL should polish his game and make him an instant impact player when he comes over.
If the Flyers are a 90+ point team going into 2026-27, he could make them a 100+ point team.

I think the word "fall" or "down" is abit strong here but overall its a good article on his timeline.

 

[Redpath]

Michkov discussion at 10:47

- Friedman pushes back on the "Skate Zone closed down for Michkov" theory. Says it was just a coincidence.

- Jason says he thinks Michkov only wanted to play for certain teams, and we were obviously one of them.

 

[Striiker]

imagine this board's reaction if the Flyers passed on Michkov and then came out in the media and said this.

I’d be in jail

 

[Boxscore]

This kid is downright violent in his approach. In the offensive zone, he's a ruthless predator in the mold of Maurice Richard, Brett Hull, Nate MacKinnon, Pavel Bure, and Sergei Makarov, who he reminds me the most of -- a modern day Sergei Makarov. In terms of raw talent, Michkov is the most talented player the Flyers ever drafted -- right up there with Peter Forsberg. He's more talented than Clarke, Carter, Giroux, etc. If the Flyers are brutal and are in the position to draft a Celebrini or Eiserman next year, they will soon be the envy of the league.