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HF Habs: What are your initial impressions of the Habs 2023 Draft class?

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Not sure where to post this but a short bit after the 2023 NHL Entry Draft took place I had a chance encounter....

I have it on a first hand, in-person account with someone who works with Michkov every day in the KHL regular season that this individual feels Michkov's skating and size is currently problematic and will be problematic or a hinderance for his future success in adult, pro leagues. They dismissed his great numbers in the MHL and VHL as facing sub-standard, not fully adult opposition and that time and space would be limited when Michkov played in the KHL (or NHL) regularly. The person acknowledged that Michkov is a lethal shooter but felt his size and speed (lack thereof) are in the way and will prevent him from getting to the next level. They scoffed at the comparisons to Ovy, Malkin, etc. They also acknowledged Michkov isn't much of a defensive presence.

As for attitude, they said Michov has a bit of a "I'm a star" attitude but it isn't unusual for a star prospect -- though it can obviously be used and held against him. In all, the person was not very enthusiastic about the prospect due primarily to Michkov's skating and size and despite being affiliated with him they didn't feel like the Habs missed out (full disc: they were unfamiliar with Reinbacher and neutral about Slafkovsky).

----

My initial takeaway was gratitude and relief -- so we didn't miss out on a gem! But following some chewing and thinking, I felt like it wasn't so much of a 'bullet dodged' as much as it was confirmation that the Habs did their homework and felt more secure with Reinbacher for entirely legitimate reasons.

Now, does this mean we ought to be thankful the Habs have the right philosophy? No -- if you felt like I do that the Habs have a dire need to prioritize high-end/high-potential forwards you probably feel like Reinbacher must show clearly that he was worth investing in over Leonard or Dvorsky or (my boy) Benson. But in terms of Michkov himself, my tune hasn't changed since the night of the draft: Reinbacher wasn't a reach, so we move on and wait to see what's what.

If Michkov shows us that we were wrong, he will have also shown up the aforementioned individual as well. More power to Michkov and lucky Philly! Prospects can develop and improve, it's rather expected in fact. Otherwise, we move on.
 
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As someone who identifies as a Matvei Michkov, I can tell you I will become a decent NHL player. Think Matvei Michkov but worse.
 
ReHabs said:
Michkov's skating and size is currently problematic and will be problematic or a hinderance for his future success in adult, pro leagues. They dismissed his great numbers in the MHL and VHL as facing sub-standard, not fully adult opposition and that time and space would be limited when Michkov played in the KHL (or NHL) regularly. The person acknowledged that Michkov is a lethal shooter but felt his size and speed (lack thereof) are in the way and will prevent him from getting to the next level. They scoffed at the comparisons to Ovy, Malkin, etc. They also acknowledged Michkov isn't much of a defensive presence.
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that's how I see it to some degree, I keep saying he reminds me a lot of Caufield but a better playmaker.
 
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montreal said:
that's how I see it to some degree, I keep saying he reminds me a lot of Caufield but a better playmaker.
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It really does dovetail well with the easily explained and rational comparison with Cole Caufield we heard here and there.

If you have another prospect you figure you like (Reinbacher), and this one has variable aspects that are either unclear (his contract status, his attitude) or outright against him (size, skating) and he is already comparable to a player you already have and of which cannot have too many due to size issues... go with the other prospect you like. Makes perfect sense and it adds up with whatever it is Hughes, Lapointe, and Bobrov said to the media after the draft.

If they bet wrong on Reinbacher... we'll know in the years to come. I hope not.
 
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montreal said:
that's how I see it to some degree, I keep saying he reminds me a lot of Caufield but a better playmaker.
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I think Caufield is a better shooter and his playmaking is underrated. He is also quicker than Michkov and seems to be a much better teammate.

Of Course it is still way too early and we don't have enough information on Michkov to support most of the positive/negative claims on him. I think that there is a very real possibility that Caufield ends up the better player of the two. Caufield noticeably improved his skating during his D+1 and D+2 seasons so I will allow for the same possibility with Michkov although I do think that he is a better skater than some of his naysayers are claiming.
 
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On the surface, my first impression is a C. Reinbacher was a good pick, and maybe you could argue Fowler wasn't bad (though I felt like it was a reach). The Xhekaj pick is so much of a head scratcher, along with essentially the rest of the draft.
 
JohnLennon said:
On the surface, my first impression is a C. Reinbacher was a good pick, and maybe you could argue Fowler wasn't bad (though I felt like it was a reach). The Xhekaj pick is so much of a head scratcher, along with essentially the rest of the draft.
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Xhekaj's pick is like the Crisp's pick few years ago. A total waste while way more skilled forwards were still available at that point.
 
1909 said:
Xhekaj's pick is like the Crisp's pick few years ago. A total waste while way more skilled forwards were still available at that point.
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you never know what will happen, many posters said Pezzetta would never play in the NHL, he slowly progressed each year. If Xhekaj is smart, he's watching, listening, following his brother and that could lead to an NHL spot down the road if he puts in the work.
 
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1909 said:
Xhekaj's pick is like the Crisp's pick few years ago. A total waste while way more skilled forwards were still available at that point.
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There may have been more skilled forwards but in the 4th round they aren't likely to make the NHL.
 
Habs brass say they are very impressed with Fowler. I think, they cannot say otherwise. Hughes have traded a late 1st rounder and an early 2nd rounder for Newhook. FOUR other goalies were taken before him in the second-round. Fowler was the only decent one left in the goalies bin. If they would had kept one of their picks traded to the Avs, I don't know in which extent they would had selected Fowler instead of Gajan or Augustine, etc....
 
Jaynki said:
I would think so. He is under contract for only 1 years after the draft and it appears he don't have attitude issue like Michkov.

We will see when he comes back. Around Christmas if i read properly. There will still be a lot of time left to cement his place in the top 3 if he keeps it up.
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Are we really still huffing that copium?
 
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bcv said:
Didn't all that come from just 1 guy who wasn't happy Michkov wouldn't meet with him? Some scout or something.
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There was one report out of one Washington scout yes, Andrei Nikolishin.

There were plenty of smokes from other sources too. Mathias Burnet said that according to his contacts in the KHL, Michkov was an unpleasant person. He could kick his teammate, scream at them when they missed play. He did not care about the game except offense.

The Gr8 Dane said:
What are his attitude issues.
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Mathias Burnet said that according to his contacts in the KHL, Michkov was an unpleasant person. He could kick his teammate, scream at them when they missed play. He did not care about the game except offense.
 
Lol. I see bashing of Michkov is still going on.
Problematic behaviour? It's a miracle that kid even plays considering how they smoked his dad.
In the meantime, kid is steady on the route to score more than 50 pts in KHL.
Neither Ovechkin and Malkin came close to that at 18.
 
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