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

[deadhead]

He's got three years to practice before the real games start.

 

[Jettany]

He really is starting to remind me of Crosby.

 

[Redpath]

He really is starting to remind me of Crosby.

Ironically, a Crosby comparison seems far more appropriate than an Ovechkin one.

 

[Philly Fanatik]

He really is starting to remind me of Crosby.

While I was watching today…I taught on the same comparison or I should say…same style.
However it’s only early in Michkov’s career ,it’s a perfect player to try to emulate.
MM’s hockey IQ,his skating and edge work and his desire to win fits Crosby’s MO.

 

[Jettany]

While I was watching today…I taught on the same comparison or I should say…same style.
However it’s only early in Michkov’s career ,it’s a perfect player to try to emulate.
MM’s hockey IQ,his skating and edge work and his desire to win fits Crosby’s MO.

And how he finds the soft spots to score. Which is obviously his high hockey IQ.

Ironically, a Crosby comparison seems far more appropriate than an Ovechkin one.

Have people said Ovechkin?

 

[Redpath]

Have people said Ovechkin?

Maybe not quite as a stylistic comparison, but the comparison between Michkov and Ovechkin's numbers has been a frequent talking point, as well as Michkov being the "Best Russian prospect since Ovechkin." Just Googling that exact phrase brings up a bunch of results.

 

[Jettany]

Maybe not quite as a stylistic comparison, but the comparison between Michkov and Ovechkin's numbers has been a frequent talking point, as well as Michkov being the "Best Russian prospect since Ovechkin." Just Googling that exact phrase brings up a bunch of results.

Gotcha. I can’t stand comparing righties to lefties. It’s a pet peeve.

 

[Appleyard]

He is so much closer to say Kaprizov and Kucherov in terms of how he plays than Ovechkin aha.

If just choosing Russians to compare. Albeit both are faster skaters.

 

[Devonator]

Well my Flyer friends.....even the harshest cynic among you has to admit we have the Best prospect in Michkov since the Lindros days......outside of injuries, he is going to be huge in the NHL.....just hope we can get him over here before those 3 years are up.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

That goal happens for Michkov, but almost no one else. That looks so easy because he makes it look so easy. Very few know how to move to open places near the net in the way he does. Very few would've been positioned right where he was when the guy wanted to pass that.

 

[Alex K]

Well my Flyer friends.....even the harshest cynic among you has to admit we have the Best prospect in Michkov since the Lindros days......outside of injuries, he is going to be huge in the NHL.....just hope we can get him over here before those 3 years are up.

Why?

 

[Devonator]

Why?

You have to ask?

 

[Alex K]

You have to ask?

Yes, I do.

 

[deadhead]

Let him practice his game without pressure in the KHL while the Flyers build a team for him.
When he comes over at 21, he'll be physically mature, polished and ready to make an instant impact.

 

[scumpup]

He really is starting to remind me of Crosby.

except he doesn't suck

 

[Ironmanrulez]

Torts hates this

 

[Appleyard]

Let him practice his game without pressure in the KHL while the Flyers build a team for him.
When he comes over at 21, he'll be physically mature, polished and ready to make an instant impact.

I reckon he would put up 60+ points in the NHL even on a bad Flyers team this year... but yeh... if things go well in 3 years he can hit 90+ off the bat.

 

[deadhead]

I reckon he would put up 60+ points in the NHL even on a bad Flyers team this year... but yeh... if things go well in 3 years he can hit 90+ off the bat.

I think what people forget is the huge impact adding a player like that for "free" will have in three years, not only does it instantly elevate your top line, but it pushes a good winger (TK, Farabee, Brink) down to your second line, and someone else down to your 3rd line.

 

[Beef Invictus]

I think what people forget is the huge impact adding a player like that for "free" will have in three years, not only does it instantly elevate your top line, but it pushes a good winger (TK, Farabee, Brink) down to your second line, and someone else down to your 3rd line.

No, nobody here forgets this. It's why we've been clamoring for the team to acquire skill up top and let it push guys down the roster instead of deliberately getting bad players to fulfill idiotic role notions.

 

[deadhead]

No, nobody here forgets this. It's why we've been clamoring for the team to acquire skill up top and let it push guys down the roster instead of deliberately getting bad players to fulfill idiotic role notions.

Yes, every team in the NHL wants to add a top twenty player every year.
Unfortunately, there are 32 teams and maybe 2-3 players of that caliber in the draft each season (and not all at the top of the draft, see Point, etc).
Somehow you have to field 17 other players.

 

[Beef Invictus]

Yes, every team in the NHL wants to add a top twenty player every year.
Unfortunately, there are 32 teams and maybe 2-3 players of that caliber in the draft each season (and not all at the top of the draft, see Point, etc).
Somehow you have to field 17 other players.

The Flyers don't. Tortorella explicitly said that's not what they need; no need for Gaudreaus, we only need 10 goal PK specialists. This on the heels of the Flyers refusing to take JG when he threw himself at them which is insane for a team that didn't consider itself rebuilding at the time. Reminder, almost everyone involved in that is still in management.

The Flyers don't want that talent. They think, wrongly, that such talent only goes on the top two lines. Once that's full, you seek the next role archetype. Their whole approach to the sport is deeply bad.

 

[deadhead]

JG did not fit a rebuilding team.
If the Flyers are going to sign a FA, it should be a 1RHD two years from now.

 

[Beef Invictus]

JG did not fit a rebuilding team.
If the Flyers are going to sign a FA, it should be a 1RHD two years from now.

They weren't rebuilding. They were trying to compete.

They still aren't truly rebuilding, either.

 

[Tripod]

Nothing says rebuild like adding a 36 year old dman and a 31 year old RWer when you have lots of RWers already.

And last year, we added TDA and wasted picks

Rebuilding the right way!

 

[freakydallas13]

Well my Flyer friends.....even the harshest cynic among you has to admit we have the Best prospect in Michkov since the Lindros days......outside of injuries, he is going to be huge in the NHL.....just hope we can get him over here before those 3 years are up.

You're right, but it's not saying a lot. Who was the second best prospect since Lindros, JVR? Giroux? Patrick?

Pretty sad list outside of Giroux, who obviously greatly exceeded draft day expectations.