Coyotes felt Matvei Michkov wanted nothing to do with them

After Connor Bedard was selected by the Chicago Blackhawks, this is where the draft became exciting. After all, none of the other players was guaranteed to be selected at a certain rank.

The favorite to be drafted second was Adam Fantilli, but the Canadian was ultimately selected third by the Blue Jackets. Where Matvei Michkov would be drafted was another intriguing question to watch. As we know, the talent is there, but his contractual situation, in particular, scared off several teams.

When Montreal turned its nose up at the Russian, the Coyotes had the chance to select him, but they didn’t. So the Flyers took advantage of the opportunity. The Flyers took the chance.

In the text below by Craig Morgan, we read that Arizona felt the player had no interest in playing in the desert. That’s one of the reasons they didn’t select him.

Instead, Bill Armstrong and his group picked up Mishkov’s compatriot, Dmitri Simashev. Simashev is a six-foot-four defenseman and his selection was somewhat surprising. But the Coyotes seemed genuinely interested in Reinbacher. Clearly, they held Simashev in higher esteem than Axel Sandin Pellikka. To give you an idea, the highly regarded Bob McKenzie had Simashev at 19th in his mock draft.

But to get back to the situation involving Mishkov, several teams claimed that the main player had a bad attitude. Did the Coyotes discover this aspect of the young man after their meeting with him? They might have.

I have to admit, I don’t blame the kid. Who wants to play for a franchise that’s going nowhere and plays in front of as many fans as a university club? What’s more, MIchkov is counting on a contract for a few more seasons in the KHL. This pact expires in 2025-2026. He could come to North America before that contract expires, but the chances are slim.

Like all teams, the Coyotes were perhaps afraid of his contractual situation, and the fact that the player didn’t seem very interested in the city and the franchise was probably the final argument against the youngster’s non-selection.

Of all the clubs Michkov met, I wonder if any other clubs had the same impression as Arizona. At this point, the guy may just be a spoiled baby (like PLD) and the CH may have been right to ignore him.

In gusto

– David Reinbacher is the NHL’s closest defenseman. [JDM]

– He’s not afraid of pressure.

– Speaking of the wolf.

– Max Paciorrety in Colorado? [HF]

– Vladdy gets a taste of his own medicine.

Pearson cools Vladdy off. 😅🚿 pic.twitter.com/P8kYgOOGux

– Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) June 30, 2023