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

[Garl]

Carlsson and Fantili had pedestrian to bad wjcs. Very stong Kappo Kakko vibes. Big bodies that dominate kids and can keep up with adults at young age but are never able to take the next step in their development. Not sure Michkov would have fared better, though, his stint in the mhl was brutal.

Disagree about WJCs, comparsion with Kakko is both legit and not. Why you don't compare them to Barkov? To MacKinnon?

Fantilli was better than MacKinnon, Carlsson was better than Barkov or let's say Pettersson

 

[Nikolajs Sillers]

The first five teams seem unintersted and Arizona is the team Michkov will steer himself clear of. Doubt the Caps will draft him after Nikolishin comments. Falling out of the top 10 is more than possible then.

Off topic. Cheburashka looks scary AF.

 

[Hanji]

Carlsson and Fantili had pedestrian to bad wjcs. Very stong Kappo Kakko vibes. Big bodies that dominate kids and can keep up with adults at young age but are never able to take the next step in their development. Not sure Michkov would have fared better, though, his stint in the mhl was brutal.

Michkov didn't give a shit in those few MHL games. That was obvious.
I viewed one of them and he was floating around like he was bored. He had already wrecked the MHL the year before.

Part of the attitude problem? Perhaps. But that lackluster showing had nothing to do with talent.

It’s a different situation and circumstance than Carlsson and Fantii’s pedestrian WJC.

 

[Guadana]

I hear so many things about him (systematically negative) that I end up not believing anything anymore.

He is eating small kids on the breakfast.

 

[Dirtyf1ghter]

He is eating small kids on the breakfast.

In the game, he still brought Russia to victory 2 times and once in the final in 3 tournaments.

The SKA clings to him.

In Sochi, he was one of the few to be in a positive presence on the ice.

Very skeptical about the profile of the unbearable and lazy player.

Many franchises have everything to gain from Michkov's descent. The likelihood of him having a career similar to Kucherov is very high.

 

[ItWasJustified]

despite his dissapointing season

He had a historical season. You really don't know anything about hockey if you think his season was disappointing.

NHL goalies are professional

So are every goalie in the KHL. Being a professional player means that you get paid a salary to play the sport.

 

[Guadana]

In the game, he still brought Russia to victory 2 times and once in the final in 3 tournaments.

The SKA clings to him.

In Sochi, he was one of the few to be in a positive presence on the ice.

Very skeptical about the profile of the unbearable and lazy player.

Many franchises have everything to gain from Michkov's descent. The likelihood of him having a career similar to Kucherov is very high.

He is great player with sky high potential and special mind on the ice. Campaign against him was started way before this winter. He is harsh with his teammates and asking for more? McKinnon is making the same, everybody okay with it. Michkov doesn’t want to play for mtl or vancouver? Why? How he can even think about it, even if Canadian media and youtubers are trying to sh1t on him in every draft talk? He knows that he will not be first overall and in the real life it doesn’t mean something real. So if there is a crossroad of his life, why he can’t do something? Especially if it’s enough to ignore some scouts? Even if he will be picked in second round, nothing changed in real hockey. It’s a chocolate medal for him. I believe he wants to control his destiny and I understand him in modern context.
If he is so bad hockey player with character issues, I’m ok if no one will pick him until 58 pick.

 

[Caser]

1.He didn't make SKA and was sent down to Sochi
2. 5 pts were out of 20 were scored against chinese goalie in the last game of the season
3. 13 games for NT 1 goal and 4 points against Belarus is not impressive by any means

If it was not Michkov, but let's say Miroshnichenko last year, it would have been great season, but Michkov is a prodigy, allegedely best prospect since Ovechkin. By this standarts it is a dissapointing season, and yes, Fantilli and Carlsson had better seasons.

Which of the goals that were scored against him you think a better goalie would stop?


Btw, just noticed a tiny little detail that out of these 5 points in that game only 2 were scored against Zehao Sun aka "The Chinese goalie", other 3 were scored against Matt Jurusik aka "The soon-to-be Chinese goalie".

 

[ps241]

No f*cks given. My king.



Someone's gonna take Ryan "Callahan" Leonard over Michkov. I'm prepared for it and I will laugh my ass off.

If you are an NHL GM where do you take him if you don’t get access to an interview? My question isn’t rhetorical, I am trying to figure this out but my sample size of watching the kid play is a bit limited and when I saw him he and Bedard destroyed the field at the 2021 U18’s.

 

[badfish]

He is eating small kids on the breakfast.

This is the only rumour about him I 100% believe

 

[TheGreenTBer]

Michkov definitely gives off a vibe of someone who has a high opinion of himself. Some people don't like that.

He's ultra competitive, takes the game very seriously and expects the same from others. Some people don't like that.

He's also a proud Russian. Some people don't like that.

On top of everything, he loves hockey. This is why he'll be great.

Personally, I am not drafting a player high that doesn't want the puck in his stick. I want a guy that wants the puck, cannot stand losing at his core and is unafraid of challenging any teammates who believe otherwise.

He is eating small kids on the breakfast.

Facts

 

[Acallabeth]

. He is a prodigy, but he is a unique case, if he had Kovalchuk's body, he would have been #2.

Some high standards you're setting amigo! Kovalchuk is like a perfect hockey organism. Also, didn't you like his Qatar photo?

13 games 1+3 4 pts is not a great statline however you look. Again, we are talking about a successor of Ovechkin here

And now it's becoming outrageous! Ovechkin himself wasn't that special in his draft year (both in Dynamo and Team Russia) despite having 2 pro seasons under his belt and being huge and very strong. Malkin, Kovalchuk and nearly all other Russian stars weren't even on the national team at that age (despite being a lot bigger).
Moreover, Michkov was robbed of World Championship for reasons having nothing to do with his talent, instead having to play on some Roten Roster.

He is eating small kids on the breakfast.

With scout tears.

 

[Garl]

Which of the goals that were scored against him you think a better goalie would stop?


Btw, just noticed a tiny little detail that out of these 5 points in that game only 2 were scored against Zehao Sun aka "The Chinese goalie", other 3 were scored against Matt Jurusik aka "The soon-to-be Chinese goalie".

ХК Сочи - Куньлунь РС: счет, протокол игры, матч КХЛ 26 Февраля 2023 | Континентальная Хоккейная Лига (КХЛ)

Протокол игры: ХК Сочи - Куньлунь РС. Матч 26 Февраля 2023

www.khl.ru

Nope, I was right, you are wrong

 

[Garl]

He had a historical season. You really don't know anything about hockey if you think his season was disappointing.

So are every goalie in the KHL. Being a professional player means that you get paid a salary to play the sport.

His season was disappointing, because of his previous hype, I have listed my arguments, no refutation, but a lot of "how dare you!", or "LOL you don't know anything" moments

It is also funny how you go with"you don't know anything about hockey " and right after that come up with a gem of "all goalies in KHL are professional like in NHL"
This guy is a Chinese goalie, the only reason he was in KHL is that he played for chinese team in the last meaningless game of the season.

Ps Good luck to mr Sun, hope he will become a good goalie))

 

[Garl]

You have absolutely no idea how a club like SKA is managed and how decisions are made there, but I know. Michkov could just as easily have scored the same or even more in SKA if he had been given a top 6 role rather than three minutes per game. But then again, not always the best player will play there. Gusev is an example. And also scored points in other games.


I'm sure the rest of the top 10 prospects in this draft also scored against weak goaltenders in some games, that's not an indicator.

Not all from Ovechkin, Malkin and the rest of the top Russian players at that age didn't even show Michkov's results. Any scout with more or less understanding of hockey will tell you that Michkov has an elite talent and potential franchise player. He has a shot by Kovalchuk and hockey IQ Kucherov. Players like this don't grow on trees, they don't even appear in every draft.


I do not agree, not all goalies are so good, there are games when the third goalie of the team plays against you. Stop glorifying SHL and NCAA and that there is a very good goalie on every team, this is nonsense.

Fact is, he didn't make it. Ovechkin would have made it beyond reasonable doubt. And for Michkov this is the bar, not Kucherov.

The "other leagues also have bad goalies" is sophistry as I have said. SHL doesn't play chinese goalies, not even close. And it is where Michkov got 20% of his seasonal points. Without it, there's no historical season as his fanboys are calling it.

 

[Caser]

ХК Сочи - Куньлунь РС: счет, протокол игры, матч КХЛ 26 Февраля 2023 | Континентальная Хоккейная Лига (КХЛ)

Протокол игры: ХК Сочи - Куньлунь РС. Матч 26 Февраля 2023

www.khl.ru

Nope, I was right, you are wrong

Oh, my bad, I confused it with the game where Sochi scored 7 goals and where Michkov had just 3 points. However in this game also 4, not 5 points were scored against the Chinese goalie and yes, I'd still would like to know which ones were the ones a better goalie would stop.

 

[TheGreenTBer]

This is the only rumour about him I 100% believe

His babyeating/60 is pretty generational

 

[Caser]

He is eating small kids on the breakfast.

I mean he was eating them alive when he was at the U18s and at the Hlinka's, these kids from the opposing teams barely survived.

 

[Garl]

Some high standards you're setting amigo! Kovalchuk is like a perfect hockey organism. Also, didn't you like his Qatar photo?

And now it's becoming outrageous! Ovechkin himself wasn't that special in his draft year (both in Dynamo and Team Russia) despite having 2 pro seasons under his belt and being huge and very strong. Malkin, Kovalchuk and nearly all other Russian stars weren't even on the national team at that age (despite being a lot bigger).
Moreover, Michkov was robbed of World Championship for reasons having nothing to do with his talent, instead having to play on some Roten Roster.

With scout tears.

No high standards, Michkov is small and not very fast, it's a legit concern. Switch Kovalchuk with let's say Kuznetsov or Backstrom, point stands

Ovechkin was much better than Michkov at the same age

As for National Team, as you have said, it was a Roten Roster. When Kovalchuk and Malkin were 18 people like Polyakov or Zinchenko wouldn't play either

I mean he was eating them alive when he was at the U18s and at the Hlinka's, these kids from the opposing teams barely survived.

Yes, but kids grow, Michkov doesn't

Oh, my bad, I confused it with the game where Sochi scored 7 goals and where Michkov had just 3 points. However in this game also 4, not 5 points were scored against the Chinese goalie and yes, I'd still would like to know which ones were the ones a better goalie would stop.

What are you telling, so Michkov scored 8pts against Kunlun, and 6pts against Master Sun?

 

[Guadana]

His babyeating/60 is pretty generational

I would say untigenerational.

 

[Caser]

Yes, but kids grow, Michkov doesn't


What are you telling, so Michkov scored 8pts against Kunlun, and 6pts against Master Sun?

Kids grow usually not more than an inch after that age.


Yes, 6 points total against him in two games, however I'm feeling you're somehow missing the question about the goals where he could be to blame. So I thought maybe we can go through all those points:

So the first game 11th of February, Zehao Sun replaces Jurusik at the start of the third period:

1st point - Michkov sets up Gordin for the empty net, no way the goalie could've stop it.
2nd point - Michkov shoots it into the top corner with precision, but I'd say here he lost his position, so we can blame the goalie here.

The second game, 26th of February, Zehao Sun starts this time:

1st point - Michkov sets up Tyanullin for the empty net, no way the goalie could've stop it.
2nd point - the Michigan by Michkov, I don't think we're usually blaming goalies for the Michigan goals unless I'm missing something.
3rd point - Michkov sets up Tyanullin, he is alone right in front of the net and he tucks it in, no way the goalie could've stop it.
4th point - Garayev sends it off the post and in, doesn't look bad in terms of the goalie actions in my eyes here.

So i'd say only one goal here is something that could be on the goalie, do you have some other opinion?

 

[67 others]

Michkov didn't give a shit in those few MHL games. That was obvious.
I viewed one of them and he was floating around like he was bored. He had already wrecked the MHL the year before.

Part of the attitude problem? Perhaps. But that lackluster showing had nothing to do with talent.

It’s a different situation and circumstance than Carlsson and Fantii’s pedestrian WJC.

I watched every wjc game and I'm not sure why anyone would call Carlsson "pedestrian". He was fantastic.

Fantilli on the other hand, disappointed me

 

[Garl]

Kids grow usually not more than an inch after that age.


Yes, 6 points total against him in two games, however I'm feeling you're somehow missing the question about the goals where he could be to blame. So I thought maybe we can go through all those points:

So the first game 11th of February, Zehao Sun replaces Jurusik at the start of the third period:

1st point - Michkov sets up Gordin for the empty net, no way the goalie could've stop it.
2nd point - Michkov shoots it into the top corner with precision, but I'd say here he lost his position, so we can blame the goalie here.

The second game, 26th of February, Zehao Sun starts this time:

1st point - Michkov sets up Tyanullin for the empty net, no way the goalie could've stop it.
2nd point - the Michigan by Michkov, I don't think we're usually blaming goalies for the Michigan goals unless I'm missing something.
3rd point - Michkov sets up Tyanullin, he is alone right in front of the net and he tucks it in, no way the goalie could've stop it.
4th point - Garayev sends it off the post and in, doesn't look bad in terms of the goalie actions in my eyes here.

So i'd say only one goal here is something that could be on the goalie, do you have some other opinion?

I didn't grew an inch in height after I was 16. But went from 150 to 200 between 16 and 21.

Regarding goals, sorry, I will not play. This is exactly the type if meaningless talk I have no time for. It is a fact that they played a BCHL level goalie. And all the hype of the "historical" season relies on points scored against horrible team with no goals, no meaning and goalie that should not play on this level
At the end of the day in 25 games against normal KHL teams Michkov scored 12 pts.
Maybe it's just a setback and next season he will have Matthewsesque(in NL) performance in KHL. But how can you or anyone else really argue that he had an impressive season?


Remember, he is supposed to be the best after Ovechkin. For Nichushkin/Kravtsov/Podkolzin this performance would have been good, but Michkov is not that, he is special, like what Fjordy said, he is Kovalchuk shot plus Kucherov IQ, a Prodigy, a true next one. How is it impressive that he failed to make SKA, scored 6 pts vs an amateur goalie and had 4 pts in 13 games vs Belarus?

 

[canuckking1]

He's coming to Vancouver at 11. AGM Daniel Milstein and Podkolzin are pulling some strings behind the scenes

 

[Caser]

I didn't grew an inch in height after I was 16. But went from 150 to 200 between 16 and 21.

Regarding goals, sorry, I will not play. This is exactly the type if meaningless talk I have no time for. It is a fact that they played a BCHL level goalie. And all the hype of the "historical" season relies on points scored against horrible team with no goals, no meaning and goalie that should not play on this level
At the end of the day in 25 games against normal KHL teams Michkov scored 12 pts.
Maybe it's just a setback and next season he will have Matthewsesque(in NL) performance in KHL. But how can you or anyone else really argue that he had an impressive season?


Remember, he is supposed to be the best after Ovechkin. For Nichushkin/Kravtsov/Podkolzin this performance would have been good, but Michkov is not that, he is special, like what Fjordy said, he is Kovalchuk shot plus Kucherov IQ, a Prodigy, a true next one. How is it impressive that he failed to make SKA, scored 6 pts vs an amateur goalie and had 4 pts in 13 games vs Belarus?

I personally grew 2 inches in height since I was 16 (but also was growing until I was like 21, not until 19), also knew a guy who would grow more than 7 inches after his 17th birthday, but if he would be a hockey player that would be a disaster, as in that case he would have to rebuild his game almost from scratch. Still I think you'd agree that late growth spurts this big happen more like a rare exception, can't think of any kids who played against Michkov that would grow so notably (maybe there are some, just can't remember now).

As for the goals, I don't argue that Zehao Sun isn't really a quality goalie, just what I mean is that it didn't have much effect on Michkov's numbers, their bad defense did though.

The thing is that Kunlun isn't the unexpectedly weak team, the KHL always had ones that would be just a disaster - Sochi, Dinamo Riga, Admiral in previous seasons, Slovan, Vityaz, Medvescak, Minsk, Kuznya, Yugra, Lada and Spartak in the years before - all of the players you have listed played against bad teams too, but somehow so far noone thought of the idea that the points they scored against those shouldn't be counted.

As for impressive, it all comes to the definition - he has one of the best seasons in the KHL for a prospects in the first draft year ever and that's while being physically just maybe borderline ready. Kaprizov was in the same situation too and had 8 points in 31 games - that was not too great, but still impressive. Statistically Tarasenko had the best season, and even if we extract these Kunlun points that still would be in the same ppg region as Michkov, while Tarasenko was on another level of physical readiness. Maybe these guys weren't impressive for you and you have other candidates to compare?

As for SKA they favor athletic high-intensity guys, so no surprise Michkov wasn't suitable for them yet, that's actually a notable question mark how he'll fit there next season. As for the Belarus games, I'd like to remind that at that time he just lost his father, even Ovechkin's performance went down this season after that kind of a loss and he isn't a teenager.