It was around 2020 when the hockey world started to have their heads turned by two 15-year-olds, one from Canada and the other from Russia. Connor Bedard and Matvey Michkov were years away from being drafted but already being heralded by many as the next two great hockey players. Many likening their arrivals as Sid and Ovi like. After signing a long contract to stay with SKA until 2026 and a war between Russia and Ukraine and Michkov’s future was beginning to look a little hazy. During his draft year, the question at hand was where would Michkov be taken. He surely could be second, but that contract with SKA and the Flyers just having had their goalie stolen from them, AGAIN, by the Russians. News would be breaking about how Michkov would be in Nashville for the draft. Rumors and reports about where he would or wouldn’t like to go.
The first three spots go: Bedard, Carlsson (a bit of a surprise), and Fantilli. The Sharks were the first team many thought they were contenders to pick Michkov, but there reports Michkov wasn’t enamored with San Jose. They picked Will Smith. Next was Montreal. They were also rumored to be potentially high on Michkov and there were no reports that Michkov wouldn’t play there. Carey Price stumbling on his words gave extra drama for the pick to be… David Reinbacher. Arizona was the one team people knew Michkov wouldn’t want to go to. Would they pick him and do what the Nordiques did in 1991 with Lindros or do they… go with Dmitri Simashev. Out of left field, but all that stopped Michkov from being a Flyer was Danny Briere not picking him.
Skate Zone had been closed for a special meeting with Michkov and the news was that it was a good meeting and that Philly is one of, if not, his preferred teams. Everyone knew that if Michkov fell to seven and Philly doesn’t pick him, then Washington definitely will and tout him as the heir to Ovi. And then the words every Flyers fan waited for “from St. Petersburg of the KHL, Matvey Michkov.” sending Philly into madness. Then, his interview, through a translator. Michkov says he’s happy to be a Flyer and wants to play in Philly, wants to win a Cup here, and wants to come as soon as possibly?! Maybe he’ll get out of his contract a year early and come over in 2025 instead of 2026. We keep hearing about how Michkov wanted to go to Philly and this was the place he wanted to go, even over playing with Ovechkin.
As Matvey is going through his training and season, there are little tidbits going around about KHL teams, especially SKA, believe a player should go to the NHL when they’re ready, which Michkov is. And him going to Sochi raised some concerns, but he played great despite his pneumonia sickness and the lingering effects. After Gauthier requested a trade out of Philly, then Kolosov is coming over and surprisingly Fedotov is over too. There’s been a growing feeling that Michkov may be in North America before 2026, but maybe 2025 at the earliest. Alexander Medvedev, the chairman of SKA, had an interview where he said Michkov could be coming over to Philly as early as this summer with a decision likely before the NHL Draft (end of June).
On May 19, 2024, an article from Sport Express said that Michkov will be continuing his career in Philadelphia. This changed everything, Michkov is this close to being a Flyer this year. Danny Briere and the other Flyers brass have been really just quiet on the whole thing and neither Michkov nor Roman Rotenberg, SKA head coach, denied the rumors with Rotenberg even denying rumors about other Russian prospects like Alexander Nikishin. Couple this with Michkov posting stuff in Flyers gear and outside of Russia and add all the players SKA is bringing in. It seems like they’re signaling that Michkov is coming to Philly.
On June 25, 2024, Michkov was released by SKA. He has yet to sign his ELC, but it has been noted that it could be a week or two before Michkov is in Philly due to getting his visa, but he will sign his ELC when that is taken care of. Michkov played the Russia card over several teams and went to the team he wanted the whole time. The worries about his contract being too long are gone with him coming over one year later. Michkov just canoodled his way into Philly before 2026… by getting there in 2024. He held the bottom portion of the league in the palm of his hand and played them like a god deciding where he wanted to go, and Philly in 2024 was his goal. Michkov you genius, hats off. Should also be mentioned that last year, he was asked by a random person when he’d be coming over and his translator said he wouldn’t be with the team that year (2023) but intends to be at training camp in 2024.
By Noah Caplan (@Phlyers24)
sportsnet.ca
brotherlypuck.com 