The NHL 2023 Entry Draft is just a day away and the rumors surrounding a very volatile top ten picks continue to intensify. With the draft completely up in the air after Connor Bedard goes first overall to the Chicago Blackhawks, endless mock drafts and speculation has left the field in complete disarray.
The Danny Briere-led Philadelphia Flyers have expressed interest in potentially selecting Russian forward Matvei Michkov and inheriting all the risks that come with him. But they’re not the only team who supposedly has him in their sights; the Washington Capitals, who hold the eighth overall pick, are rumored to be high on him as well.
So what’s the problem? The Caps are behind the Flyers?
Well, recent rumors also seem to suggest the both the Montreal Canadiens at fifth overall and the Arizona Coyotes at sixth overall may be willing to move back a spot or two if a team wants to secure someone like Michkov.
That opens the door for the Caps to leapfrog the Flyers and take him.
That means if the Flyers really want him, they themselves are going to have to move up too in an arms race to get the highest placement to take Michkov.
Even just at a glance, the Flyers are better suited to craft a winning trade offer to either Montreal or Arizona than Washington is. They’ve got better draft capital, prospect depth and NHL-caliber depth.
The Caps own their own first rounder (8th overall) and their own second rounder (40th overall) and don’t have a third or sixth round pick. Their prospect pool is rather shallow outside of three forwards Ivan Miroshnichenko, Connor McMichael and Hendrix Lapierre. And their main roster is main composed of veterans and lower level depth players. Tapped in all three areas after years of trying to keep their Cup window with Ovechkin alive.
Speaking of Alex Ovechkin, he’s the obvious force pulling the Caps towards Michkov in the first place. The young Russian player probably wouldn’t mind playing with the greatest Russian player of all time. Does Ovechkin’s influence mean Michkov can get out of his KHL deal before it expires in 2026? Is Ovechkin still going to be playing at 40 years old when Michkov is (theoretically) free to come to the NHL at the end of his deal if he has to see out the entirety of his contract? The connection is obvious, but if Michkov is stuck in the KHL for the rest of his contract, their paths may not cross for any length of time in the NHL.
The Flyers hold the seventh overall pick and the 22nd overall pick as of this writing, with players like Travis Sanheim, Travis Konecny and Scott Laughton still on the roster primed for a trade to acquire even more draft capital. They also have more than a couple mid-to-high ceiling prospects in the AHL if that would tickle the fancy of Montreal or Arizona more so than picks.
Any deal the Caps put forth if they tried to move up should be easily squashed by the Flyers, unless the Caps propose some absolutely bonkers deal where they empty their shallow reserves to make it happen. There would be a line where it wouldn’t be smart for the Flyers to go tit for tat with the Caps if they’re willing to vastly overpay to move up, but as listed above, they don’t exactly have an abundance of assets to go goblin mode in the first place.
At the end of the day, is it the end of the world if the Flyers lose out on Michkov? No, not really, especially when the draft is so forward-heavy. But, if they want to take a swing at a potential generational player that could be the saving grace the Flyers so desperately need, Briere has a target in mind.
Some of the most recent rumors suggest that the Habs may have Ryan Leonard in their sights, while the Coyotes are eyeing up RHD David Reinbacher. If Bedard, Fantilli, Carlsson and Will Smith go 1-4 before them, Michkov will be in the board when the Flyers draft at seven.
Chances are, a deal won’t materialize until draft day, and the ball will be in the Capitals’ court to make the first move. If they won’t (or can’t) make a trade that matches what Montreal or Arizona would be looking for in the first place, the Flyers can take Michkov uncontested if he’s there at seven.
If they need to trade up to draft Michkov, well, it’s a quality versus quantity approach. A (hopefully) calculated risk where they feel like they’ve got a chance to get the guy to North America in a few year’s time and not just a big circus that has the same ending as Ivan Fedotov did. It is nice to see the front office zero in on a player like Michkov though. The Flyers are rebuilding and need a crown jewel to push them across the finish line, and Michkov could very well be that guy. Let the chaos ensue on Wednesday night!
By: Dan Esche (@DanTheFlyeraFan)
brotherlypuck.com 