I actually didn't like him at the tournament. 1+4 in 3 games doesn't look terrible, but he couldn't score more than an assists and a goal in the last two games. It almost looked like, his moves mostly didn't work at this not very high level, and his linemates Kvochko and Malov scored more (7 and 6 points respectively). Of course, Matvey was the 2nd youngest player of the team and the tournament, and at this age even 6 months mean a lot, but still, I expected more from him.
RW Matvei Michkov - SKA-1946 St.Petersburg, MHL (2023 Draft)
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I actually didn't like him at the tournament. 1+4 in 3 games doesn't look terrible, but he couldn't score more than an assists and a goal in the last two games. It almost looked like, his moves mostly didn't work at this not very high level, and his linemates Kvochko and Malov scored more (7 and 6 points respectively). Of course, Matvey was the 2nd youngest player of the team and the tournament, and at this age even 6 months mean a lot, but still, I expected more from him.
tealhockey
@overtheboards
Nah, I think he'll be better. One of his problems is he plays in the league (I mean Moscow Championship for 2004), he's too good for. They have to move him to an older team, 2003 or even 2002 (2002 tournament can be weaker, than 2003 one, though, because all the best already play in the MHL).
tealhockey
@overtheboards
yeah I was just messing around. that's a lot like the U18 in America, many of our best 02s (and even 03s) playing USHL or somewhere else now like NTDP so anyone still playing that level it's not quite the same as top level U16 where you still have a lot of top 03s
Scored 9+2 in the first game of Russian Federal Districts Championship (he plays for Central FD team), but the result isn't that impressive, because they played vs Southerm FD team, which isn't very good in hockey (people there prefer football). The final score was 27-0.
His team played a first decent opposition at Federal Districts Championship, St. Petersburg, and beat them 8-3. Matvei scored 1+4. He's 12+9 after 3 games now. The next best scorer (his teammate) is 7+7.
Now, after watching some of his Federal Districts Championship games, I'd say, the kid is the epitome of cherry-picking. It almost looks like he actually plays only when there is a chance to score a goal. He doesn't back check on 5vs5 situations like at all and mostly skates around middle zone waiting for a pass.
Not that he can't play defense, because when he plays PK (and he plays a lot of PK), he's very active in pressing his opponents, but on 5vs5 situations he cares about offense only. He's crazy good offensively, though, like, head, shoulders and half a torso above anybody else. Of course, he'll be just 15 in a month, and I hope, his coaches will persuade him, that he has to play defense as well. At least, sometimes.
Not that he can't play defense, because when he plays PK (and he plays a lot of PK), he's very active in pressing his opponents, but on 5vs5 situations he cares about offense only. He's crazy good offensively, though, like, head, shoulders and half a torso above anybody else. Of course, he'll be just 15 in a month, and I hope, his coaches will persuade him, that he has to play defense as well. At least, sometimes.
alko
Registered User
Now, when his team played 2 games vs major opponents, his scoring decreased drastically. He scored 1+0 (it was a SH goal btw) in 3-2 loss to Team Ural and 0+1 in 2-1 OT win over Team Moscow. That assist was on OT winner, though.
Sounds like you're still getting a read on him, would you say he was feasting on weaker opponents before?
Well, weaker or not, but he's scored 1/3 of his team's goal and related to 1/2 of its goals. It's just good teams played tight against him, while bad and averagge teams couldn't hold him.
I think, every team at this level knows, that Matvei is the main force of his team. You stop him, you stop 1/2 of his team's offense. It's just up to your skill level, whether you can stop him or not. Don't forget, he is one of the youngest players at the tournament. He's not even 15 yet.
He hasn't scored less than 5 points in every game, but two, even vs pretty good teams like St. Petersburg or Siberia. Team Moscow just knows him very well and managed to stop him... kinda (that combination on OT winner, he started, was great). Team Ural is just good overall and plays great defense. It leads the tournament with 100% result.
Another 5 point game - 2+3 in 5-2 win over Atlant.
Lead scorers' list looks epic.
1. Matvei Michkov 30+23 in 11 gp
2. Kirill Dolzhenkov 14+12 in 11 gp.
Michkov has more than twice points more, than the 2nd best scorer.
Lead scorers' list looks epic.
1. Matvei Michkov 30+23 in 11 gp
2. Kirill Dolzhenkov 14+12 in 11 gp.
Michkov has more than twice points more, than the 2nd best scorer.
kp61c
Registered User
Older group is MHL/NMHL eligible anyway, 2004 teams are probably stronger, than 2003 teams.
Or not, because Ivan Miroshnichenko isn't even in top25 of best scorers of 2003 Moscow Championship. He's 5+3 after 10 games.
alko
Registered User
Fantastic hands, great feel of distance. But he might get a lot of bad habits playing on this level. He needs to play with 2003 or he may try to use partners a bit more. He might have the same problems in the future as Jack Hughes has now.
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It's just 2 pages to me... Still, about 4 times more, than McJesus thread was in January, 2012. Connor was 1 month younger back to then, than Matvei is now, though.
Because the guy scores some superhuman numbers for now. And even while playing against his birth year he is a December born, so he is still playing against guys who are mostly older. Even if it is by months, at this age that matters a great deal. He is also not particularily tall or heavy. There is literally no factor that would suggest his numbers to be inflated. At least for now it seems he is just that good and that much better than anybody else in his age group.
alko
Registered User
4+2 vs Danmark, 6+3 after 2 games. Andrei Svechnikov had 10 points in 4 games at the last Youth Olympics. The kid is one of the youngest player at the tournament, btw, Savoie is older than him by almost full year.
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