The Philadelphia Flyers selected Russian winger Matvei Michkov with the seventh overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft on Wednesday.
Flyers general manager Daniel Briere said he didn't think Michkov would be available at No. 7, and that he even tried to trade up to pick him, but the price was too high, per Sportsnet's Luke Fox.
"We were blown away by his personality. ... He kept saying he wanted to be a Flyer," Briere said, according to TSN's Chris Johnston.
Matvei Michkov
Position: Right wing
Height: 5-foot-10
Weight: 172 lbs
Shoots: Left
Age: 18
Club: Sochi (KHL)
Nationality: 🇷🇺
NHL Central Scouting final ranking: 2nd among European skaters
2022-23 stats
| GP | G | A |
|---|---|---|
| 30 | 9 | 11 |
There's a case to be made that Michkov is the second-most talented player in this entire draft. However, he's signed in the KHL for the next three seasons, meaning his NHL debut likely won't come until at least the 2026-27 campaign.
But he could be well worth the wait. What Michkov lacks in size, he makes up for in high-end skill and genius hockey IQ. He possesses elite hands and elusiveness that allow him to embarrass defenders one-on-one, a lethal shot, and excellent goal-scoring instincts.
Michkov's 0.67 points per game set the KHL record for the best mark by a draft-eligible player. For comparison, Alex Ovechkin managed just 0.45 points per game in his draft year.
When asked how excited he was to be part of the Flyers' rebuild, Michkov offered a confident quip.
"I guess that means we'll start winning when I get here," he said in Russian, per the Philadelphia Inquirer's Giana Han.
What they're saying
"Michkov is one of the very best first-year draft eligibles I've ever seen from inside the offensive blue line," wrote The Athletic's Corey Pronman, who ranked Michkov No. 3 on his board and used Nikita Kucherov as a player comparison. "He has truly special offensive skill and hockey sense. His mind operates differently from other players in how he sees the play develop, and he always seems to find ways to figure into scoring chances despite not being the biggest or fastest."
"Michkov has remarkable net sense, which makes him a scoring threat at all times," wrote FloHockey's Chris Peters, who had him at No. 4 in his prospect rankings. "While (Connor) Bedard has the best shot in the draft, Michkov may have the best understanding of how to score. He outthinks goalies and opposing defenses and is always in an attack position in the offensive zone."
Click here to watch Michkov's highlights.
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