Russian phenom Matvei Michkov is predicted to terminate his KHL contract and proceed his profession with the Philadelphia Flyers subsequent season, per Russia’s Sport-Categorical. Sport-Categorical provides that SKA St. Petersburg will retain Michkov’s unique KHL rights till 2026.
This information appears to be first step in direction of Philadelphia touchdown one in every of its largest prospects in latest reminiscence. Michkov has change into a sensation in Russia coming off a season the place he recorded 41 factors in 48 video games with the KHL’s HK Sochi – the second-most any U20 participant has scored within the KH, behind Kirill Kaprizov’s 42-point season in 2016-17. That’s the kind of firm Michkov’s scoring has all the time earned him, equally posting the best KHL points-per-game from a U19 participant throughout his time with Sochi final season, rating forward of Eeli Tolvanen, Evgeny Kuznetsov and Vladimir Tarasenko.
Michkov has managed the robust scoring regardless of taking part in on one of many KHL’s weakest groups. HK Sochi, who function as a feeder workforce for SKA, have gained simply 28 of its 136 video games during the last two seasons, regardless of Michkov elevating their common goals-per-game from 2.01 to 2.47 throughout his time there.
The meager setting served each execs and cons, permitting Michkov to emerge as a KHL workforce’s star but additionally offering him with little help. He made up for modest deployment when he was youthful by completely dominating on the worldwide stage.
Michkov recorded 12 targets and 16 factors in seven video games on the 2021 World U-18 Championship – main the match in scoring forward of each Shane Wright and Connor Bedard. The tally additionally ranked him behind simply Gavin McKenna, Alex Ovechkin and Mikhail Grigorenko for essentially the most a U17 participant has ever scored on the occasion. Russia was banned from worldwide occasions within the following season, limiting Michkov to pleasant matches with the nation’s males’s workforce during the last two years.
A transfer out of Russia ought to carry Michkov way more workforce success, particularly if it’s a transfer to the playoff-hopeful Flyers. He’s an exceptional participant, boasting a management of the puck and skill to chop via lanes that’s particular. Mixed with a hard-nosed drive in direction of the web and a nifty shot, Michkov has all the traits of a bona fide scorer. He’s confirmed that at each stage in Russia, however now faces his largest problem but in shifting to the NHL. How the Flyers help their star prospect, and simply how excessive Michkov’s ceiling can go together with that help, might be among the many most fun questions because the 2024-25 season rolls round.
