RW Matvei Michkov (2023, 7th, PHI) Part 4

[Dr Jablonski PhD]

Yes. Signed a 2 year deal

Yeah but sometimes weird things happen like the first year of his contract might not burn this year

 

[Guadana]

You must be one of the guys who think Michkov is a lazy player. Forgive me for watching him and finding out that everyone has been smearing him as a player. I had no idea how high his motor is and I'm excited about it. When Flyers drafted him I had just assumed he had a lot of issues with hustle, off puck, etc. My audience is Flyers fans and I want them to know people are wrong about him. It's more like I'm highlighting parts of his game that most people are flat out ignorant of or wrong about, rather than calling them elite plays

And honestly, there is a prerequisite level of hockey knowledge to be able to appreciate how good of a hockey player Michkov is. His talent is subtle in a lot of ways. And some of the plays I've posted are, in fact, amazing. Some of the things he does look a bit ordinary, but require an absurd level of hockey IQ or vision to be able to do that as an 18 y/o in the fuken KHL. So it is amazing to see those things and imagine what he's going to develop into

also where in the hell did I write "AMAZING" all caps. I haven't done that.... I actually have offered a decent amount of criticism too

You are doing everything well in the right place to do it. If someone doesn't like this kind of stuff in this topic, its a sign you are doing everything right.

 

[Dr Jablonski PhD]

I keep hearing SKA is over the cap but they just keep adding players. They have Tolchinsky, Khairiullin, Leipsic, Khusnutdinov, Vorobyov, Gritsyuk, Michkov, Galchenyuk/Demidov.

All of those guys are in the team photo. It would be a great top 9 and they could balance it out well, but it seems doubtful that all of them end up playing? I just read something that suggests they'll be able to keep everyone. This was before they signed Galchenyuk I believe

SKA will fit into the salary cap and maintain the composition. How they did it? - ePrimefeed

One of the most interesting plots of the hockey offseason is the battle of the St. Petersburg army with the salary cap. At certain points, the excess of SKA reached almost 400 million rubles, with a limit of 900 million. There was no violation: off-season, the salary cap does not work, it is...

eprimefeed.com

 

[Guadana]

I keep hearing SKA is over the cap but they just keep adding players. They have Tolchinsky, Khairiullin, Leipsic, Khusnutdinov, Vorobyov, Gritsyuk, Michkov, Galchenyuk/Demidov.

All of those guys are in the team photo. It would be a great top 9 and they could balance it out well, but it seems doubtful that all of them end up playing? I just read something that suggests they'll be able to keep everyone. This was before they signed Galchenyuk I believe

SKA will fit into the salary cap and maintain the composition. How they did it? - ePrimefeed

One of the most interesting plots of the hockey offseason is the battle of the St. Petersburg army with the salary cap. At certain points, the excess of SKA reached almost 400 million rubles, with a limit of 900 million. There was no violation: off-season, the salary cap does not work, it is...

eprimefeed.com

Some of them are having injuries now.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Big difference between NHL and KHL is that in the NHL a prospect of Michkov calibre just can't play for a powerhouse where he would be blocked by a bunch of stars and superstars. The fact of matter is if Michkov played for the Flyers this coming season, he would have been on the first or second line. Alas, on SKA it's different.

James Dolan will beg to differ with how the Rangers are run.

Lafreniere and Kakko were so promising pre-draft.

 

[Kshahdoo]

James Dolan will beg to differ with how the Rangers are run.

Lafreniere and Kakko were so promising pre-draft.

Rangers are run kinda similar to SKA actually...

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Going to be funny if Bedard stinks in pre season and a lot of people will be losing their minds

I think the expectations are way out of control. Some of them are honestly completely unreasonable and rely on Bedard improving at a pace that isn't rational. He could be that good and capable to do things that don't make rational sense, but there's a thread in the poll section where multiple people voted that they expected him to be the best player in the NHL within a year. I don't even know how that happens. McDavid had 153 points last season. Does Bedard score 160? Gretzky only had 137 in his rookie season. Is Bedard going to outscore Gretzky's rookie season by 17 or more points? Because thats what it'd take to be better than McDavid within a year and if he does, we might as well declare him on pace to be the best player ever.

And none of that makes sense. It's about two or three (might even be closer to 10) times more likely Bedard scores 54 points than 154. The expectations seem to be that that Bedard is at least like a 70 point player instantly. That'd be the best D+1 season since McDavid. Maybe he's that good, but it seems awfully presumptive to assume he'll outdo Matthews, Eichel, Dahlin as rookies, and he might be closer to where Hughes and Lafreniere were as rookies. There has been one D+1 player (Hischier with 52 points) since the Matthews draft that scored more than 44 points.

 

[FlyguyOX]

Rangers are ran kinda similar to SKA actually...

Especially now with Lavy lol.

 

[Frank the Tank]

Going to be funny if Bedard stinks in pre season and a lot of people will be losing their minds

It took McDavid his first 4 games in the regular season to look like he even belonged in the NHL, let alone was going to be a superstar. The hot takes from opposing fans that first week were extra spicy.

 

[Dr Jablonski PhD]

I think Bedard will have a great first season but I do wonder if he'll plateau earlier in his career trajectory. I've never seen a player as physically developed as he is/was in his DY. It's good in the sense that he's already put all that work in and has that level of strength, but it also might mean he doesn't have as much room to develop

Separately, I really hope Michkov spends at least 2 more years in Russia

 

[CanadienShark]

Finally. Great take. The pathetic attempts of the part of Montreal fanbase to harsh on Michkov are not smart. At the same time, Reinbach is a wonderful prospect and people need to rejoice in him and discuss him, and not try to justify Michkov's choice with fairy tales about his bad character and problems with the game.

Is that actually happening? I personally haven't seen it as a Habs fan. Many people, including myself, wanted Michkov. He's an incredible prospect and I was almost certain he would be drafted by one of my two teams.

 

[TLEH]

I think the expectations are way out of control. Some of them are honestly completely unreasonable and rely on Bedard improving at a pace that isn't rational. He could be that good and capable to do things that don't make rational sense, but there's a thread in the poll section where multiple people voted that they expected him to be the best player in the NHL within a year. I don't even know how that happens. McDavid had 153 points last season. Does Bedard score 160? Gretzky only had 137 in his rookie season. Is Bedard going to outscore Gretzky's rookie season by 17 or more points? Because thats what it'd take to be better than McDavid within a year and if he does, we might as well declare him on pace to be the best player ever.

And none of that makes sense. It's about two or three (might even be closer to 10) times more likely Bedard scores 54 points than 154. The expectations seem to be that that Bedard is at least like a 70 point player instantly. That'd be the best D+1 season since McDavid. Maybe he's that good, but it seems awfully presumptive to assume he'll outdo Matthews, Eichel, Dahlin as rookies, and he might be closer to where Hughes and Lafreniere were as rookies. There has been one D+1 player (Hischier with 52 points) since the Matthews draft that scored more than 44 points.

Literally 2 people of the 186 that voted said 1 year. That is 184 people that don’t think that. Your statement says multiple people. Yes two is multiple people. My statement is that 98.38% of people in that poll do not think he will be the best player in year one or two. 183 out of 186. Also why do you keep comparing Bedard to Laf as if they are even in the same stratosphere.

Comparing to Hughes…this the same Jack Hughes that you had as like 8th or 9th best in his class? So is Bedard that level?

 

[Sasso09]

Do you really think he's their best player right now? Just to call it like I see it, Michkov seems to have a lot of work to do on his shot, release, and getting it on goal unblocked more consistently. There's something weird about the consistency of his release and shot velocity

His shot is elite NHL level right now and he's hands down the best player on the team.

I'm genuinely confused

 

[Dr Jablonski PhD]

His shot is elite NHL level right now and he's hands down the best player on the team.

I'm genuinely confused

I don't think his shot is elite right now. At least the consistency of it. Sometimes it's fantastic and other times it's pretty weak tbh. It's about half and half

 

[santapore]

I don't think his shot is elite right now. At least the consistency of it. Sometimes it's fantastic and other times it's pretty weak tbh. It's about half and half

i agree. i watch 3 preseason games and his skating(speed) and shot is not powerful. it will get better when he gets more muscle. his iq and hands otherwise are elite. 2-3 years gonna make huge difference when he arrives to nhl. im excited already

 

[LetsGoFlyers12]

So what do we all expect come Saturday morning? I'm hopeful for a 3C gig, but I'm worried about Vorobyev, Glotov or Khnutsudinov holding him up. I'd prefer the following, minus Galchenyuk. Excuse the spelling

Tolchinsky-Khnutsudinov-Kharullin
Leipsig-Glotov-Allistrov
Demidov-Michkov-Gritsyuk
Galimov-Vorobyov-Dedunov

 

[ChesterNimitz]

Lafreniere and Kakko were so promising pre-draft.

We may well be saying the same thing about Michkov in a few years. Limited skating ability has a way of exposing some heralded prospects.

 

[Dr Jablonski PhD]

So what do we all expect come Saturday morning? I'm hopeful for a 3C gig, but I'm worried about Vorobyev, Glotov or Khnutsudinov holding him up. I'd prefer the following, minus Galchenyuk. Excuse the spelling

Tolchinsky-Khnutsudinov-Kharullin
Leipsig-Glotov-Allistrov
Demidov-Michkov-Gritsyuk
Galimov-Vorobyov-Dedunov

I browsed through the starting lineup twitter posts made by SKA all last season. Projecting the lineup is honestly pretty futile atm. It seems nobody knows for sure whether Demidov is actually staying.. Whether Galchenyuk is actually playing right away.. Whether they have to move any players for cap reasons. Idk.

After looking thru the starting lineup posts of last season, Vorobyov and Glotov were the players most consistently used as a center. It was clear from looking thru those that Rotenberg really likes Glotov. It's probably safer to assume Michkov will start at 3C, since he only played center during preseason. I guess I'll believe it when I see it, but if he starts at center, it's probably a shining stamp of approval.

If that happens their 1-3 centers are probably Vorobyov, Glotov, Michkov. And Khustnutdinov at wing. I bet Michkov and Khusnutdinov will both switch off as center/winger throughout the season. Last year Khusnutdinov switched between center and wing. And it seemed Rotenberg may have preferred Glotov at center over him

We may well be saying the same thing about Michkov in a few years. Limited skating ability has a way of exposing some heralded prospects.

I can think of some concerns in Michkov's toolkit, but I don't really think skating is one of them. After watching every one of his shifts thru about 10 of his Sochi games, I haven't seen once instance where his skating held him back. In some aspects it's actually a real asset. I have more of a bone to pick with his shot

 

[HeadLiceHatty]

We may well be saying the same thing about Michkov in a few years. Limited skating ability has a way of exposing some heralded prospects.

You actually have an agenda comparing Michkov to those guys and for that reason, have you seen this man skate? Lol absolutely pathetic take hahahaha

 

[ChesterNimitz]

‘GodKingMichkov’

It would appear in your online moniker that the subjects of some consensus achieve regal, if not deity-like status.

 

[Guadana]

We may well be saying the same thing about Michkov in a few years. Limited skating ability has a way of exposing some heralded prospects.

We will use as a quote of the week after three years.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

We will use as a quote of the week after three years.

You may not have to wait that long as some ‘gods’ have clay feet or, in Michkov’s case, slow feet.

 

[Guadana]

You may not have to wait that long as some ‘gods’ have clay feet or, in Michkov’s case, slow feet.

I have no problem to sit near the river and wait, until Michkov will play on NHL level. Will see you too.

 

[ReimanSum1908]

Is that actually happening? I personally haven't seen it as a Habs fan. Many people, including myself, wanted Michkov. He's an incredible prospect and I was almost certain he would be drafted by one of my two teams.

I've seen endless reams of posts lambasting him, suggesting that he's a mercurial and disrespectful player who doesn't have the temperment to succeed in the NHL, or is too small and slow to ever do so.

 

[ChesterNimitz]

You actually have an agenda comparing Michkov to those guys and for that reason, have you seen this man skate? Lol absolutely pathetic take hahahaha

Several respected pre-draft services rated Michkov’s skating as below average. Nothing that I have seen of Michkov’s play since would convince me that their assessment was materially wrong. But an ingrained consensus dies a stubborn death.