Who is the best Russian prospect of all time

TheBig08

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Sep 28, 2024
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Who is the best Russian prospect of all time?
I’ve seen the stuff on how matvei michkov is the best Russian prospect since ovi and Malkin so I just wanted to see who yhall think is the best of all time?
 

TheBig08

Registered User
Sep 28, 2024
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Ovechkin, clearly

WhI like to think that ovi is the best russian prospect, I am a big Ovi fan but matvei michkov does hold the record for highest ppg in the khl be a draft eligible player which was 0.67 if u include his 3 games where he had almost no ice time ( 20 points 30 games) and I think 0.72 if u don’t (20 pouts 27 games). While ovi had a 0.45 (24 points 53 games). But I do know that michkov did it in the khl and ovi did it in the RSL. I don’t if there is a difference between the two leagues. Also the RSL is the predecessor of the KHL. Ovi also has the really good 2001-2002 WJC-18 run (14 goals 4 assist 8 games) but michkov also had a good WJC-18 run (12 goals 12 goals 4 assist 7 games). Those where the only leagues/tournament they both played in as far as i can tell and once again I don’t if there is a difference between the KHL and RSL but i do know the RSL is the predecessor of the KHL. So who is a better prospect ovi or michkov let me know what you think.
 
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MichaelFarrell

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Aug 29, 2016
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Here are some of the best Russian prospects strictly in their draft season.

2020-Now: Matvei Michkov: insane production everywhere he has been. Just a sensational talent with a ton of hype surrounding him.

2015-2019: Andrei Svechnikov: The hype surrounding Andrei was immense. He came into the USHL was amazing for a rookie and then went on to get 40 goals in 44 games with the Barrie Colts.

2010-2014: Vladimir Tarasenko: The Russian factor made Tarasenko fall to 16. Truly, a top 5 talent in the draft and had the production to back it up.

2005-2009: Nikita Filatov: A dynamic offensive player that could’ve had an amazing NHL career. He had a tom of hype, but was ultimately not able to produce at the NHL level.

2000-2004: Alex Ovechkin: What an incredible 4 year span for Russian prospects. Clearly, the Russian factor was not a factor because Ilya Kovalchuk (Who’s hype rivaled Ovie’s), Alex Semin, Nikolai Zherdev, Evgeni Malkin, and several other Russian were taken very high in the draft. But, none of them compare to Ovie in terms of hype.
 

ViD

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Here are some of the best Russian prospects strictly in their draft season.

2020-Now: Matvei Michkov: insane production everywhere he has been. Just a sensational talent with a ton of hype surrounding him.

2015-2019: Andrei Svechnikov: The hype surrounding Andrei was immense. He came into the USHL was amazing for a rookie and then went on to get 40 goals in 44 games with the Barrie Colts.

2010-2014: Vladimir Tarasenko: The Russian factor made Tarasenko fall to 16. Truly, a top 5 talent in the draft and had the production to back it up.

2005-2009: Nikita Filatov: A dynamic offensive player that could’ve had an amazing NHL career. He had a tom of hype, but was ultimately not able to produce at the NHL level.

2000-2004: Alex Ovechkin: What an incredible 4 year span for Russian prospects. Clearly, the Russian factor was not a factor because Ilya Kovalchuk (Who’s hype rivaled Ovie’s), Alex Semin, Nikolai Zherdev, Evgeni Malkin, and several other Russian were taken very high in the draft. But, none of them compare to Ovie in terms of hype.
I think Cherepanov was a bigger prospect that Filatov
 

Pavel Buchnevich

"Pavel Buchnevich The Fake"
Dec 8, 2013
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I think Cherepanov was a bigger prospect that Filatov
Yeah, I know he’s not the best ever. It’s probably Ovechkin and Malkin and maybe Michkov, but Cherepanov is a player that gets forgotten about because he sadly died before he ever played a game in the NHL. He was on pace to have a great career.
 

theVladiator

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May 26, 2018
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Who is the best Russian prospect of all time?
I’ve seen the stuff on how matvei michkov is the best Russian prospect since ovi and Malkin so I just wanted to see who yhall think is the best of all time?

As others have said, Ovechkin was most highly regarded, heck, even hyped, Russian prospect going into the draft.

That said, one would have to consider Kovalchuk (1OA), Malkin (2OA), Tverdovsky (2OA), Zyuzin (who? 2OA, that's who!), Yashin (2OA), Yakupov (yup, 1OA), as "better" prospects than Michkov. They all went significantly higher than Michkov, so it's clear they were held in higher regard going into the draft. Can't think of a better metric to judge what's "better" or "best" is for prospects, so that'll have to do.
 

Guadana

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Mar 7, 2012
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St Petersburg
What about Muhammad Alikov?
Every Muhammad-esque prospect is the best automatically. Or second best after every Alexander who is Great or will be even Greater.
I had a cat with name Matvei. Its top 3 spot no matter what.

So we should cut Malkin off.

As others have said, Ovechkin was most highly regarded, heck, even hyped, Russian prospect going into the draft.

That said, one would have to consider Kovalchuk (1OA), Malkin (2OA), Tverdovsky (2OA), Zyuzin (who? 2OA, that's who!), Yashin (2OA), Yakupov (yup, 1OA), as "better" prospects than Michkov. They all went significantly higher than Michkov, so it's clear they were held in higher regard going into the draft. Can't think of a better metric to judge what's "better" or "best" is for prospects, so that'll have to do.
Its a bad metric. Michkov had a lot of hype. But with the time - a lot of bad hype too, like we see - faked.
 
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theVladiator

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May 26, 2018
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Its a bad metric. Michkov had a lot of hype. But with the time - a lot of bad hype too, like we see - faked.

If you do not listen to the NHL teams on who is the better prospect, who do you listen to? Not sure what you mean by "faked", as we are talking about de-facto NHL's team opinion on the prospect value. I do not think Anaheim would "fake" liking Carlson better by drafting him ahead of Michkov, etc, etc. NHL teams can be wrong, and often are, but if the question is "who in hindsight was the better prospect" than it's just a roundabout way of asking a completely different question altogether.

I think Michkov was quite hyped some years before the draft, it was Bedard/Michkov draft some years prior I think. But, the year of the draft, he was no longer considered in the same tier, and was mostly ranked 4th, 5th or thereabouts. People may have been wrong souring on Michkov in the year of the draft, but again, hindsight view is entirely different question.
 

Guadana

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Mar 7, 2012
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St Petersburg
If you do not listen to the NHL teams on who is the better prospect, who do you listen to? Not sure what you mean by "faked", as we are talking about de-facto NHL's team opinion on the prospect value. I do not think Anaheim would "fake" liking Carlson better by drafting him ahead of Michkov, etc, etc. NHL teams can be wrong, and often are, but if the question is "who in hindsight was the better prospect" than it's just a roundabout way of asking a completely different question altogether.

I think Michkov was quite hyped some years before the draft, it was Bedard/Michkov draft some years prior I think. But, the year of the draft, he was no longer considered in the same tier, and was mostly ranked 4th, 5th or thereabouts. People may have been wrong souring on Michkov in the year of the draft, but again, hindsight view is entirely different question.
It would be truth if we could forget about non hockey factors.

I believe some teams would change their mind after knowing that he will play njl game earlier.

Hype and even rank could be different than draft decision. Because draft decision is making by specific teams. Not by majority of teams. If it would be truth than Zyuzin woukd be higher ranked more hyped player. He wasn't. It was a specific team decided to draft Zyuzin or Tverdovsky or even Yakupov high. That were weak players in those drafts who was ranked even lower.
Michkov was second best player all the time. It was Fantilli and Carlsson who were drafted higher because teams need or draft strategy to not draft Russians from Russia. At least they deserved their hype. What did other teams is a different question. Michkov could be drafted even lower, it doesn't change the fact that he was ranked and projected very high as a player. But his deal, team needs, fake stories about his character effected his position on the draft .but it was a decision of those specific teams. Other 25 teams could draft him by 2nd pick. Or not draft him at all and it was only flyers decision to draft him. We don't know. But scouting reports, ranks and obvious talent level were projected very high.
 

wetcoast

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Nov 20, 2018
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Here are some of the best Russian prospects strictly in their draft season.

2020-Now: Matvei Michkov: insane production everywhere he has been. Just a sensational talent with a ton of hype surrounding him.

2015-2019: Andrei Svechnikov: The hype surrounding Andrei was immense. He came into the USHL was amazing for a rookie and then went on to get 40 goals in 44 games with the Barrie Colts.

2010-2014: Vladimir Tarasenko: The Russian factor made Tarasenko fall to 16. Truly, a top 5 talent in the draft and had the production to back it up.

2005-2009: Nikita Filatov: A dynamic offensive player that could’ve had an amazing NHL career. He had a tom of hype, but was ultimately not able to produce at the NHL level.

2000-2004: Alex Ovechkin: What an incredible 4 year span for Russian prospects. Clearly, the Russian factor was not a factor because Ilya Kovalchuk (Who’s hype rivaled Ovie’s), Alex Semin, Nikolai Zherdev, Evgeni Malkin, and several other Russian were taken very high in the draft. But, none of them compare to Ovie in terms of hype.
I'll add Pavel Bure here but the draft was different back then and in his draft year he had a line of 32-17-9-26 (league leader in the league that year had 21 goals in 44 games played.)

In addition Bure had a 7-8-6-14 line at the world juniors that year.
 

Lou Sassole

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Oct 15, 2020
280
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I like to think that, I am a big Ovi fan but matvei michkov does hold the record for highest ppg in the khl be a draft eligible player which was 0.67 if u include his 3 games where he had almost no ice time ( 20 points 30 games) and I think 0.72 if u don’t (20 pouts 27 games). While ovi had a 0.45 (24 points 53 games). But I do know that michkov did it in the khl and ovi did it in the RSL. I don’t if there is a difference between the two leagues. Also the khl came from the RSL. let me know what you think.
If Ovie was in that draft, he goes #1, before Bedard. So he's obviously the better prospect.
 
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HeadLiceHatty

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Dec 26, 2011
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If you do not listen to the NHL teams on who is the better prospect, who do you listen to? Not sure what you mean by "faked", as we are talking about de-facto NHL's team opinion on the prospect value. I do not think Anaheim would "fake" liking Carlson better by drafting him ahead of Michkov, etc, etc. NHL teams can be wrong, and often are, but if the question is "who in hindsight was the better prospect" than it's just a roundabout way of asking a completely different question altogether.

I think Michkov was quite hyped some years before the draft, it was Bedard/Michkov draft some years prior I think. But, the year of the draft, he was no longer considered in the same tier, and was mostly ranked 4th, 5th or thereabouts. People may have been wrong souring on Michkov in the year of the draft, but again, hindsight view is entirely different question.
The only reason Michkov didn't go #2 was because of where he was born and his 3-year contract with SKA. You're kidding yourself, Michkov always was and has been in a tier with Bedard, he proved it in every international competition they competed in, lmao.
 

JackSlater

Registered User
Apr 27, 2010
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I'll add Pavel Bure here but the draft was different back then and in his draft year he had a line of 32-17-9-26 (league leader in the league that year had 21 goals in 44 games played.)

In addition Bure had a 7-8-6-14 line at the world juniors that year.
Yeah, I think this is between Ovechkin and Bure. Bure was an incredible prospect and would have gone first overall under norman circumstances.
 

wetcoast

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Nov 20, 2018
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Yeah, I think this is between Ovechkin and Bure. Bure was an incredible prospect and would have gone first overall under norman circumstances.
To all the young folks on here this is the norman conquests Bure was involved in......:huh:

1727616596078.png
 

DuklaNation

Registered User
Aug 26, 2004
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Fedorov, Mogilny, Bure, Kovalchuk, Ovechkin. There were several others hyped up as super prospects that ended up as disappointments. I recall Tverdovsky specifically but I never saw the basis for it at the time.
 
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