RW Matvei Michkov (2023, 7th, PHI) Part 5

SaSaShi

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Apr 16, 2015
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Nah, too much IMO considering the poor state of Philly prospect pool (and extreme dearth of C prospects).
It is a lot, but to be a stanley cup contender I think you generally need 4 main pieces with complementary depth which are FAR easier to acquire than your 4 key players.

1 C, 1 D , good to great goalie, all around talent ( either 2 way center, great wing player, another 1 D player)

Flyers have 1 proven : the all round talent winger in Michkov.

Zavragin could be the good to great goalie, but goalies are a crapshoot.

You add Demidov and let him transition to 1C, you're only missing the 1 D.

Luchanko is a nice player....but he could be replaced easily. The Denver Barkeys and Oliver Bonks of the world can be easily acquired down the line. But Demidov?? You need some cojones and/or luck to get him.
 
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HeadLiceHatty

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It is a lot, but to be a stanley cup contender I think you generally need 4 main pieces with complementary depth which are FAR easier to acquire than your 4 key players.

1 C, 1 D , good to great goalie, all around talent ( either 2 way center, great wing player, another 1 D player)

Flyers have 1 proven : the all round talent winger in Michkov.

Zavragin could be the good to great goalie, but goalies are a crapshoot.

You add Demidov and let him transition to 1C, you're only missing the 1 D.

Luchanko is a nice player....but he could be replaced easily. The Denver Barkeys and Oliver Bonks of the world can be easily acquired down the line. But Demidov?? You need some cojones and/or luck to get him.

It's VERY advantageous to say Demidov will just slot into a 1C spot, he's ultra talented but he's a true winger, I f***ing love the guy and watch a lot of him but to slot him in that in the NHL so easily is bizarre. Luchanko is a 2C if he peaks tbh, he's got a great motor and speed but he lacks the IQ / Skill to be a 1C, so I agree.
 
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SaSaShi

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It's VERY advantageous to say Demidov will just slot into a 1C spot, he's ultra talented but he's a true winger, I f***ing love the guy and watch a lot of him but to slot him in that in the NHL so easily is bizarre. Luchanko is a 2C if he peaks tbh, he's got a great motor and speed but he lacks the IQ / Skill to be a 1C, so I agree.

Demidov says himself that he prefers playing Center over Wing because he "can have vision of the whole ice, be more creative, and more involved ".

Briere was gunning for him because he envisioned Demidov to be Michkov's centerman. Pisses me off that Briere didn't pull the trigger on the draft day trade. What could have been!

Luchanko is a 2C prospect, and a good one at that. His IQ is actually his strong point, but his tight quarters puck skills haven't caught up yet. I will give up 3 Luchankos for 1 Demidov just for the simple fact that a 2C of Lucahnko's ilk is much much easier to find down the line.

And stylistically, I prefer Demidov to Michkov, because the flash is abundant with Demidov. Michkov will probably be more impactful, but Demidov is a treat for the eyes, and projects to play decent defense as well.
 
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TheKrebsCycle

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Barrie

Demidov says himself that he prefers playing Center over Wing because he "can have vision of the whole ice, be more creative, and more involved ".

Briere was gunning for him because he envisioned Demidov to be Michkov's centerman. Pisses me off that Briere didn't pull the trigger on the draft day trade. What could have been!

Luchanko is a 2C prospect, and a good one at that. His IQ is actually his strong point, but his tight quarters puck skills haven't caught up yet. I will give up 3 Luchankos for 1 Demidov just for the simple fact that a 2C of Lucahnko's ilk is much much easier to find down the line.

And stylistically, I prefer Demidov to Michkov, because the flash is abundant with Demidov. Michkov will probably be more impactful, but Demidov is a treat for the eyes, and projects to play decent defense as well.
How much center has he been playin in the k ?
 

Draft

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In the handful of games I’ve seen, he’s gotten a lot better at playing a more well-rounded role on his line as the season has gone on. This, maybe more than any skill or physical development, is setting him (and the Flyers) up for success down the line.

Sochi was f***ing boring to watch. In the games I see, any time Michkov was on the ice, the game plan revolved around getting him the puck in a good position. Did nothing for the team, was boring hockey, and made it tough to get a read on how Michkov would translate his tools to the NHL. I think he’s answered those questions so far. While linemates that can get him the puck and do more of the dirty work might continue to be a solid complement to his game moving forward (no hate, Crosby plays best with grinders), I really like the growth here and his willingness to work within a unit, focus on details, and his commitment to playing a more structured game at both ends. That’s way more interesting to me than points, though those are also great.

Consistency will come with time/experience and it’s possible he can work on his strength and skating this offseason. Not sure he needs it though.

In terms of endurance, Sochi ran this poor boy ragged every single game I watched - sick, back from injury, or otherwise. 82 games is a long season, but I don’t think we’ll see a dramatic fall off in production or quality of play if he continues to play manageable minutes. As a rookie with some limitations around size and skating, avoiding injury and burnout over the season is smart. Fewer minutes gives him a better chance at being engaged on the majority of nights and creating better habits. The risk of playing additional minutes 5v5 would cheating or compromising details because of fatigue - which IMO was an issue at times in Sochi. He’s producing really well in those minutes, so it seems to be working. Best of both worlds.

Exciting to see him translate those elite skills to the NHL. I think he’s found a good home in Philadelphia!
 

Zine

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-8 in the last 4 games with no points. Looked especially bad today.

I'm not worried. As Ive said before, he's gonna have ups and downs, peaks and valleys.

He's a young kid in a new country, playing a different style game. The overall big picture of this season is what matters.
 

Nabrules

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Slow past few games! Was never gonna finish ppg and that's ok. Bet he'll pick it up again come the new year
 

HeadLiceHatty

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Didn’t play well along with Torts being the worse possible coach he could have for his development, the whole team was trash and has been trash for awhile. Is what it is.
 

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