Matvei Michkov: there are also aspects of field hockey that scare the Canadiens

When we talk about the risk of drafting Matvei Michkov, we often talk about his contract, his attitude or the Russian factor to explain why the Habs should pass on this one.

Arpon Basu of The Athletic seems to agree that the Habs probably won’t draft Mishkov, but he does bring other elements to the table regarding the prospect.

In a paper where several journalists from different cities gave their opinions on what Michkov could represent for different NHL teams, we note several elements in Basu’s Montreal answers.

Firstly, he asserts that the majority of fans really want to see him in town. After all, since Guy Lafleur, the Habs haven’t really had a true offensive superstar as such.

And that’s true.

He also believes that if the field hockey men decide the risk is worth it, Geoff Molson will trust them. After all, he seems to believe in what Kent Hughes and Jeff Gorton are doing.

But the case is more complicated than that.

Basu doesn’t think the CH will draft Michkov if he’s available, which is no surprise at all. Remember, the CH could still be happy to keep their #5 pick.

Because the Habs already have Cole Caufield, a small, offensive-only winger, the club might feel that having another player in the same mold isn’t the recipe for winning the Cup.

At least, that’s Basu’s opinion… which I share. I think the CH can win with small players like Nick Suzuki and Cole Caufield, but they also need to add weight for the playoffs. We know the CH understands the importance of this – especially after Matthew Tkachuk’s series in Florida.

The journalist also added that he believes the CH has concerns about the player himself.

His size and one-on-one game mean that outside the offensive zone, the CH is afraid of what he can do. Away from the opposition’s net, Basu raises red flags for the Habs, especially the way he drives the puck in the neutral zone.

And let’s not forget that for three years, the club won’t be able to control its defensive game either, since the youngster will be playing in Russia…

To me, this is a refreshing point of view, since we always talk about it as if it were a simple debate between “a perfect player versus a difficult geopolitical and contractual situation”… when in fact, there’s more to it than that.

In bursts

– Good news.

– Speaking of the draft.

– They’ll need a good game.

– We hope so.

– Now that’s funny.