The Philadelphia Flyerslanded a potential franchise superstar Wednesday, selecting Matvei Michkov with the No. 7 overallpick in the 2023 NHL draft.
From SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL, Michkov finished with 19 G & 15 A in 42-games split between VHL with SKA St. Petersburg & HK Sochi of the KHL.
Michkov has been the player with the most question marks surrounding him. Mostly due to his contract with SKA St. Petersburg until 2026.
The 5’11” 179lbs forward finished as the #3 ranked prospect according to Daily Faceoff and many believe Michkov is the 2nd best talent in the draft behind Conner Bedard.
“He’s one of the most creative and intelligent offensive players I’ve seen in the last few years. He combines his incredible puck skills with a true elite goal-scoring instinct. He anticipates the play and attacks defenders differently than other forwards and always seems to find ways to figure into scoring chances despite not being the biggest or fastest. He can make plays at a high level, but Michkov is a finisher who will score a lot of goals as a pro.” – Corey Pronman, The Athletic
Michkov’s game remind a lot of scouts of a young Patrick Kane. Still raw, but has an extensive dynamic offensive toolbox that makes him a threat from everywhere on the ice.
Still three years left on his contract with SKA St. Petersburg, Michkov joked that when he comes over, it will be time to win.
Listen to Michkov’s first interview as a Flyers player here…
The Flyers have 7 picks remaining in the 2023 draft, including another pick tonight at #22.
