He doesn't do it 15 times/game though, he usually plays defend, but sometimes he plays this kind of anticipation. He's +/- 0 this season, and he was -6 at some point.
This time it was obviously a calculated move.
RW Matvei Michkov (2023, 7th, PHI) Part 5
- Thread starter SoupNazi
- Start date
He doesn't do it 15 times/game though, he usually plays defend, but sometimes he plays this kind of anticipation. He's +/- 0 this season, and he was -6 at some point.
This time it was obviously a calculated move.
I respect that opinion, but I’ve watched his last 2/3 games shift-by-shift (yes, I need a life) and it’s going to take a lot to convince me he doesn’t fly the zone excessively.
Heck, the assist to tippett in the same game is an example of what “concerns” me. Watch the beginning of that clip. You see Michkov for barely a second as he leaves the zone. Nobody has control of the puck! PHI defender is under some pressure, recovering it deep in his own zone and skating away from Michkov. Does not appear to me to be a good time to run the zone.
EVEN WHEN the dump out is made to Michkovs side, he left so early he is standing still at the blue line and needs to accelerate from a stop rather than accept the puck in stride, like Tippett did.
Obviously it worked, and what a gorgeous pass, don’t get me wrong. But I’ve seen enough hope plays that I am not holding the opinion that his IQ is strong enough to know when his teammates will perform an unexpected recovery 2 seconds ahead of time.
The Gr8 Dane
L'harceleur
It was always obvious to anybody with actual working eyes and with no bias attached to them.
That overtime goal just showed his third eye , uncanny knack for knowing where the puck is gonna most likely end up when his little brain takes everything into account for a split second
That overtime goal just showed his third eye , uncanny knack for knowing where the puck is gonna most likely end up when his little brain takes everything into account for a split second
Habs 4 Life
No Excuses
I agree that it was a guess, but I disagree with the probabilities. If he was consistently wrong with his "cheating", he would have negative +-, but he doesn't. By the way, Tippett, who is praised here for his defensive responsibility and 200ft game is -10.
Cheating is kinda weird term, I'd say. When opponents see a player in neutral zone, and this player is Michkov they have to be idiots to go all out offense with the whole five. So it's 4 vs 4 in the defensive zone at the worst for Michkov's team case. But sometimes opponents are idiots, and then Michkov scores.
Redpath
Registered User
- Sep 30, 2011
- 3,432
- 5,330
I respect that, he is obviously good at what he does and in the NHL so I’m not going to come out and say I definitely know the right times to “cheat”! (for lack of a better term)
That being said, I don’t think +- is a good argument here, sample sizes way too small, blah blah blah
Character issues on display again!! Glad Habs avoided this!!
/s
Yeah fair play, a dman usually would drop back to cover him so it’s more complicated than just saying his team is left shorthanded. I’m still not convinced that his timing choices are the best, but a) thats just me, and b) he’s a rookie, that seems like the exact kind of thing you pick up over time.
Don’t think that changes the original point that he’s flying the zone very frequently and aggressively, and his OT goal is more likely to be a factor of that rather than brilliant foresight.
Anyways, I feel like I’ve lost the thread a little bit here and am just ripping on him for ripping on hims sake now, which is not what I want to do!
I look forward to watching him progress and learn, seems like a good kid
Kennerback
Registered User
- Jun 2, 2021
- 4,346
- 6,289
We don’t need that type of poison on our team.
Realgud
Not good enough for SKA
Can't handle the pressure and has to give it to the goalie instead... an austrian player would have gracefully accepted the mvp.
Pavel Buchnevich
"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
But at least the positive is he didn’t give it to a former Kunlun goalie because that would invalidate all he’s accomplished.
There is no any Michkovs on the list...
I guess you could say that Michkov has average speed at the NHL level
I remember talks that Kucherov is waaaay faster
Last edited:
Another interesting thing - If you look at the shot speed, there is a big difference
Last edited:
antman12
Registered User
- Nov 27, 2016
- 179
- 126
Redpath
Registered User
- Sep 30, 2011
- 3,432
- 5,330
