RW Matvei Michkov - SKA-1946 St.Petersburg, MHL (2023 Draft) Part 2

[snipes]

All this kid does is score goals. Easily the leading candidate for MVP.

Heck of a tournament already for him in a good group as well he’s doing this in.

 

[Jabba11]

We would welcome him very well in Montreal.

Caufield-Suzuki-Michkov

Merci bonsoir

 

[RedHawkDown]

First player to be "bought" with a transfer fee a la pro soccer? I'm assuming that's the only way he gets to the NHL before his KHL contract expires.

not allowed AFAIK

 

[vorky]

Can we stop calling Bedard in the same sentence with this kid? I think he has to earn that first.

Fo any young prospect is very important to regularly play & train. Now, I am looking at Bedard stats for this season - only 20 games if eliteprospects is true. While Michkov played 61 games in MHL. As you know, MHL is the only major junior league in the worlds without serious COVID issues, they started on time, played all regular season & playoff without any issues. It can not be said about the major juniors in Canada or America.

Now we can say that North America´s major juniors are ruining not just Europeans & Russians but also Canadians.

Danila Yurov just said that some North American junior club wanted him so bad to play the 2020-21 in North America. But he decided to stay due to COVID. As he says today, he is very happy for that decision because that NA club does not even play ...

Now, imagine Michkov would choose NA route for 2020-21 & sitting on his couch all season because Americans or Canadians are not able to solve their COVID problems.

I am very sorry for all prospects decided to play the current season in America or Canada.

 

[nbwingsfan]

Can we stop calling Bedard in the same sentence with this kid? I think he has to earn that first.

Can we stop acting like either prospect is seriously ahead of either of eachother?

They're both looking like generational prospects. Talking in absolutes about 15 year old kids is ridiculous. Do you want to look as foolish as some of the posters in the Heiskanen vs Liljegren thread that just got bumped?

 

[NatusVincere]

Can we stop acting like either prospect is seriously ahead of either of eachother?

They're both looking like generational prospects. Talking in absolutes about 15 year old kids is ridiculous. Do you want to look as foolish as some of the posters in the Heiskanen vs Liljegren thread that just got bumped?

I don't care what other people think of me in a hockey forum and I don’t call someone generational because he dominated the Broncos or Moose Jaw... Bedard is an exceptional talent and he may very well end up being the better player. As of today, in my opinion, he has no arguments against Michkov if the latter looks so much better at the same event.

 

[nbwingsfan]

I don't care what other people think of me in a hockey forum and I don’t call someone generational because he dominated the Broncos or Moose Jaw... Bedard is an exceptional talent and he may very well end up being the better player. As of today, in my opinion, he has no arguments against Michkov if the latter looks so much better at the same event.

Ah yes, I too base my entire opinions on 4 games where one guy has played like 40 more games than the other this season (while also being older)

 

[SoundAndFury]

Ah yes, I too base my entire opinions on 4 games where one guy has played like 40 more games than the other this season (while also being older)

So you make an excuse for Bedard looking worse because he played fewer games but reject the notion that those 40 more games simply made Michkov the better player? Mkay.

Nobody is saying (at least from what I've seen) that Michkov is definitely absolutely going to end up having a better career when all is said and done 20+ years from now. But it's foolish to argue one isn't ahead of the other at this point, whatever reasons may be.

 

[NatusVincere]

Ah yes, I too base my entire opinions on 4 games where one guy has played like 40 more games than the other this season (while also being older)

Funny how the world championship is talked down here as if it were some meaningless tournament but Bedards 15 games in the east are what makes him generational, right? And I am always accused of ignorant posts here.

 

[vorky]

Ah yes, I too base my entire opinions on 4 games where one guy has played like 40 more games than the other this season (while also being older)

It is just Bedard´s fault that he chose to play in a league which is not able to run their season (championship) properly. Do not blame Michkov for his decision to play real hockey this season.

 

[SoundAndFury]

It is just Bedard´s fault that he chose to play in a league which is not able to run their season (championship) properly.

Maybe stick to judging what's proper and what's not in the fields you do understand, how about that?

 

[PeterCheater]

But it's foolish to argue one isn't ahead of the other at this point, whatever reasons may be.

Isn't foolish to argue that the one is ahead of another based on four games of a tournament? There are several legit arguments to be made in favor of Michkov, he has much bigger proven record of ''generational'' production (MHL season as a 16yo, dominating Winter Games and dominating U-18 WCH vs 15-games sample of dominating WHL), but I don't think ,,look how much Michkov is outplaying this Bedard kid'' is one of them. Especially, when some posters in addition downplay what Bedard has done so far in his career.

First and foremost, I don't think it is a good way to talk about prospects by focusing on their raw boxscore production, especially in their D-2 seasons. Patrick Laine outproduced Matthews in their D-seasons in both WCH and WJC, while Puljujarvi outproduced both at WJC, and it was a poor indication of their real level of play and potential. McDavid was production-wise below Tavares and Crosby level in the same age, and yet a combination of speed and IQ was always a factor why he was perceived as a ''generational'', and a reason why he made such a huge leap in his D-season.

 

[NatusVincere]

The comparison with Laine is nonsense, the fact that it doesn't work for him is certainly not down to his talent. He proved that in his very first season. Neither he nor Matthews are generational. McDavid is and he showed that the whole world dominating the U18 at 16 years old like a truly generational player do.

 

[MNRube]

Had the pleasure to watch Michkov live yesterday. He’s the real deal. He is simply a sublime talent. Never seen someone have the game slow down so much with the puck. He also seems to have a bit of an edge.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Isn't foolish to argue that the one is ahead of another based on four games of a tournament?

Players in later rounds get drafted after fewer viewings than that, so I don't think it is foolish. Sure the likelihood of the conclusion being wrong is higher with such limited evidence but it's not foolish to form some kind of opinion based on it. I also disagree this is a boxscore-driven discussion. I think the main driving force behind it is that people finally got to see these kids play.

 

[MNRube]

Anyone who thinks Bedard or Michkov is a lock to go #1 has an agenda. It’s way too early and both prospects are way too talented to limit their development over the next 24 months.

 

[Skinnyjimmy08]

Anyone who thinks Bedard or Michkov is a lock to go #1 has an agenda. It’s way too early and both prospects are way too talented to limit their development over the next 24 months.

what drives me nuts is seeing people feel so strongly one is better than the other as far as who will go #1 and try to trash talk one or the other.. like cmon.... the draft is still soooo far away and its OK to like both players. But to say 1 of them is WAY better and will be WAY better is absurd... both are in different situations and both are unreal

i have yet to see Michkov(except for clips online) but ive seen Bedard play through minor hockey and saw his domination in the WHL... all i can comment on is that Bedard is ridiculously talented and was the best player in the WHL this season which is crazy. But by no means could i confidently say 1 is better than the other.. cause i havent seen Michkov play... I know people like making absurd claims after a few youtube clips and NEVER seeing guys play live, so i always know to take these thread comments with a grain of salt

its going to be fun reading the articles and hearing about the comparisons over the next couple years though

 

[nbwingsfan]

It is just Bedard´s fault that he chose to play in a league which is not able to run their season (championship) properly. Do not blame Michkov for his decision to play real hockey this season.

No it's not. Once his WHL season began he had to choose to play there. He DID try to play somewhere else before hand.

 

[nbwingsfan]

Funny how the world championship is talked down here as if it were some meaningless tournament but Bedards 15 games in the east are what makes him generational, right? And I am always accused of ignorant posts here.

No, Bedard's entire body of work up to this date is what is making him a generational prospect, same with Michkov. Michkov being better after FOUR games in the same tournament while being 8 months older and an entire development year ahead while playing vastly more hockey does not make him "clearly" ahead at this point. Do you know how many players have great tournaments but dont end up being the better player?

You can have your favourite between the two (Russians will always pick their guy, same with Canada), but it's just plain wrong to say one in on a whole other tier right now than the other like certain Russian posters have suggested.

So you make an excuse for Bedard looking worse because he played fewer games but reject the notion that those 40 more games simply made Michkov the better player? Mkay.

Nobody is saying (at least from what I've seen) that Michkov is definitely absolutely going to end up having a better career when all is said and done 20+ years from now. But it's foolish to argue one isn't ahead of the other at this point, whatever reasons may be.

See above. There are many reasons why it's pretty crazy to suggest one player is on a whole other tier than the other.

 

[Tenkkapoo]

It is so refreshing to see a great Russian prospect decide to stay in Russia instead of going to NA before he even turns 18 like just about all the best Russian prospects have done for the last 10 years or so. The results have been very modest to say the least.

 

[Tenkkapoo]

Actually, when was the last time that a Russian player who was hyped as a future NHLer at 16-17 decided to stay in Russia instead of going to NA?

 

[GermanSpitfire]

Actually, when was the last time that a Russian player who was hyped as a future NHLer at 16-17 decided to stay in Russia instead of going to NA?

Tarasenko? Kuznetsov? Kucherov? Vasilevskiy? Nichushkin?

 

[nbwingsfan]

what drives me nuts is seeing people feel so strongly one is better than the other as far as who will go #1 and try to trash talk one or the other.. like cmon.... the draft is still soooo far away and its OK to like both players. But to say 1 of them is WAY better and will be WAY better is absurd... both are in different situations and both are unreal

i have yet to see Michkov(except for clips online) but ive seen Bedard play through minor hockey and saw his domination in the WHL... all i can comment on is that Bedard is ridiculously talented and was the best player in the WHL this season which is crazy. But by no means could i confidently say 1 is better than the other.. cause i havent seen Michkov play... I know people like making absurd claims after a few youtube clips and NEVER seeing guys play live, so i always know to take these thread comments with a grain of salt

its going to be fun reading the articles and hearing about the comparisons over the next couple years though

This is correct.

Michkov fan boys keep pointing to Michkov being better at this tournament but wont or cant realize that he SHOULD be better at this tournament as hes a full development year ahead of Bedard

Bedard fan boys keep pointing to him being younger and therefor having more potential but wont or cant realize that he may not reach that potential, and that the WHL is a bit watered down.

End result is these guys are both worthy of the 1st overall pick right now and we have no idea who will be #1 in two years

 

[PeterCheater]

Players in later rounds get drafted after fewer viewings than that, so I don't think it is foolish. Sure the likelihood of the conclusion being wrong is higher with such limited evidence but it's not foolish to form some kind of opinion based on it. I also disagree this is a boxscore-driven discussion. I think the main driving force behind it is that people finally got to see these kids play.

Again, it all depends on what type of conclusions do you draw from this type of situation. If an argument is: ,,Michkov is better than Bedard, because he outplayed him in the same tournament'', then sorry, this isn't a way of evaluating prospects that I, and I believe majority of people, appreciate.

When I watch Michkov, and I like him a lot, I don't care about Connor Bedard, and vice versa. I've seen five matches of Michkov (including pre-tournament game against Belarus) past week and what was the most striking for me on this level is that his floor and upside as a prospect are ridiculously high. He has scored every type of goal you could have imagined from a player in span of 5 matches, his skating, technique and first and foremost goalscoring abiliy looks like a deadly combination even right now. Both eye- and data-test clearly suggests that he is once in a generation prospect in terms of goalscoring abilities, Auston Matthews is an elite elite goalscorer and probably multiple Richard winner, and yet his stats weren't close to what Michkov has done so far on both MHL and international level in the same age. Even if Michkov doesn't improve as we expect or wish, he will be still a top pick thanks to his offensive potential he's shown so far. But you start to think what type of player Michkov may become one day if he improves his playmaking (kinda undeveloped part of his game as for now) to a level of ~allstar winger, that is able to put 45-50 assists as NHL player. And it's not a reach, it is certainly possible, considering his hockey sense and pure skills. That gives you an offensive juggernaut and decade-defining winger.

If that's your conclusion from what we've seen from Michkov so far during this tournament, then yeah, I can agree that it will be extremely difficult for Bedard to reach this level. Not saying that he won't, but a level of difficulty of these plays of Michkov against Czech Republic (this 2nd or 3rd goal after a spin), Germany (both between legs and lacrosse) or Belarus (coast to coast finish) speaks ''generational''. Maybe not generational-level prospect (although it's not impossible), but definitely potential generational-level goalscorer. But naaah, two years from now they won't be judged based on who's better in stat-padding against Germany or Czech Republic in blowouts.

 

[NatusVincere]

No, Bedard's entire body of work up to this date is what is making him a generational prospect, same with Michkov. Michkov being better after FOUR games in the same tournament while being 8 months older and an entire development year ahead while playing vastly more hockey does not make him "clearly" ahead at this point. Do you know how many players have great tournaments but dont end up being the better player?

Do you know how many generational players were outscored by players of their draft class at those tournaments? Think Bedard will be the first.