Enough to add fuel to the fire → https://t.co/9CzlU4kV7W
– DansLesCoulisses (@DLCoulisses) June 16, 2023
Matvei Michkov is an impressively talented player. That’s never been the question, because if you exclude Connor Bedard, he’s the best player in the draft.
But the Michkov “mystery” is big right now.
Of course, the one thing that keeps coming up is his three-year contract. Basically, that’s not what scares me, since prospects who take a few years to graduate do happen.
But what scares me is how he’s going to develop over those three years. After all, the KHL isn’t a development league.
🏒 Martin McGuire and Dany Dubé disagree on Matveï Michkov coming to the @CanadiensMTL
Listen here with @LangloisMario ➡️ https://t.co/4xvjKIcsBs pic.twitter.com/CTIEDPhshL
– 98,5 Sports (@985Sports) June 16, 2023
It’s also the mystery surrounding his father’s death that’s frightening. It’s the Russian war factor that comes into play. It’s the pressure that could be brought to bear to make him stay that creates doubts.
A GM who is going to select him will need to have a free hand and the means to wait three years to see him. That’s not the case for everyone, let’s face it.
And he’ll also have to deal with Michkov the man.
While many people report that his attitude is exemplary and that he loves field hockey, that’s not the whole story. But why? Because there are also people who say the opposite.
Yesterday, on 98.5 FM, Dany DubĂ© implied that Michkov wouldn’t want to play anywhere.
🏒Dany Dubé on the risk of choosing Michkov in the NHL draft, where the @CanadiensMTL have the 5th pick overall.
Listen to these words here on @LangloisMario ➡️ https://t.co/4xvjKIcsBs pic.twitter.com/shvpZmxhu5
– 98,5 Sports (@985Sports) June 16, 2023
And when you listen to what whistleblower Elliotte Friedman has to say on the subject on his podcast, you realize that there’s something going on with Michkov. After all, the real story isn’t the realization that he’ll be in the draft…
The real story is that he wouldn’t talk to everyone before the draft.
Friday 32 Thoughts news podcast. Links to your preferred platform: https://t.co/io7Mr1QEpm Enjoy!
– Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) June 16, 2023
Many teams can’t get confirmation that Michkov, who wasn’t present at the combine, will be able to talk to them. The mystery surrounding him can’t be dispelled under these conditions, can it?
Even during the season, he wasn’t really interested in talking to certain teams. To do so, you practically had to run into him.
The rumor is that he’d like to choose where he’d like to go. After all, if a team can’t even talk to him, how can you expect them to draft him under current conditions?
So, it’s a complicated situation.
Extension
Under such conditions, this puts even more pressure on the Habs. We don’t know if the CH is one of the teams where he would most likely like to go. And if so, does the CH want to make him a player who fits in with Martin St-Louis’ culture?
When you put it all together, you can understand the CH’s desire to move up into the top-4…