2023-05-29 13:53:06
Matvei Michkov. That’s a hope that could hardly be more polarizing in view of the next draft session, which will take place in just under a month in Nasville.
For what? In particular because of his talent and everything that surrounds him (contract, Russian factor, attitude, etc.), but also because the Canadian may have a big decision to make in his case.
The Russian President could take the decision to prevent all Russian players from leaving the country →
— DansLesCoulisses (@DLCoulisses) May 25, 2023
And as Jesperi Kotkaniemi knows, everything is bigger in Montreal.
What makes it all bigger is that the Canadian will not be able to miss his shot. If he is available, a big decision will have to be made by the leading heads of the club.
Why am I saying that? Because if the Canadian follows his plan, next year, he will not fish in fifth place, but much higher. So 2023 is, ideally, the last year with such a good draft pick.
And as the Panthers are in the Stanley Cup final, the CH will not fish in 17th place. So there’s no safety net if choice #5 doesn’t become what we think.
All that to say that the CH can’t be wrong. If he doesn’t draft Michkov (if he slips out of the top-4) and becomes a star elsewhere, it will be a disaster. And if he fishes it out and the red flags are true, that’ll be naughty too.
Question of having a better portrait of the situation, Anthony Martineau (TVA Sports) went straight to the source to talk to people who know hope very well in order to set the record straight.
What if I told you that the portrait concerning Matvei Michkov is immensely less alarming than what the 736282 rumors say?
One of his instructors at the SKA agreed to talk to me.
His words are both reassuring… and very exciting.
— Anthony Martineau (@Antho_Martineau) May 29, 2023
The journalist spoke to Daniel Bochner, who is part of the coaching staff in St. Petersburg, and Dmitry Zavgorodniy, who this season played with the young man in Sochi.
Result? The two men only have good words to say about him. Obviously, his coach won’t speak publicly against him, but he doesn’t have to sing his praises either.
What’s interesting is that the SKA team has no intention, according to Bochner, of being disloyal in their techniques to keep the youngster in town towards the end of his contract. This is a fear that often circulates.
We know that the coach will not say otherwise publicly, but he has a good point to backer : Michkov was loaned to another KHL club, even though he was helping the SKA school club more.
For what? Because his development is more important than the club.
It’s fine to say that now, but it will be the same when he is a star in 2026. After all, the SKA always lets its stars go to the NHL once their contract is up.
Let’s get one thing clear: SKA does not hold athletes against their will.
Since my arrival with the club, Artem Zub, Vladislav Gavrikov, Alexander Barabanov, Igor Shesterkin, Artemi Panarin, Kirill Marchenko, Vasily Podkolzin and Andrei Kuzmenko have all left for the NHL at the end of their contract. –Daniel Bochner
Michkov is therefore a player who wants to play in the NHL and who will take the means to get there. Dmitri Zavgorodniy says that hope often asked him to tell him about North America.
He therefore aspires to play in the best circuit in the world.
The two speakers went on to deconstruct the myths that Michkov has an attitude problem and bragged about his hockey IQ, his puck protection game (despite his height) and how he wants to be a point guard. men.
He will have to work on his skating, but he has three years left to continue doing so.
A 100-point season is therefore not impossible, according to Zavgorodniy. He is not the first to make such remarks concerning Michkov since his potential is known, we agree.
We all know it, its potential.
This is the comment of expert Scott Wheeler, a comment he never made to Connor McDavid and Connor Bedard →
— DansLesCoulisses (@DLCoulisses) May 27, 2023
Prolongation
Speaking of Michkov, note that this morning, Philippe Cantin, of La Presse, laid a paper on diplomatic relations between the NHL and Russia.
Basically, he’s not afraid of Russia preventing Michkov from crossing the ocean.
War in Ukraine | The only honorable side
– The Sports Press (@LaPresse_Sports) May 29, 2023
In his eyes, seeing the NHL agree to see Russian players not wearing the Pride jersey shows that Gary Bettman wants to maintain good relations with the Russians.
He is therefore not afraid of never seeing Michkov in North America if the CH were to draft him.
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#coach #deny #risks #candidacy