PRIMEUR: reasons for Matvei Michkov’s non-selection revealed

I know a lot of Habs fans didn’t take kindly to the fact that Matvei Michkov was selected after the Habs’ ranking. A lot of people would have liked to see him in town.

I understand where that comes from because of his talent, but there were so many red flags and reasons to believe the Habs didn’t want to select him that it was hard to see him end up in Montreal.

And sure enough, it didn’t happen.

So, for many people, ending up with David Reinbacher is very bad news, since the need at forward wasn’t filled with the first pick in the draft.

I’m of the opinion that it takes an offensive revival to generate offense… but that’s another matter.

All of which is to say that there are certainly reasons why the Habs passed on such a talented forward. After all, Mishkov is better with the puck in the offensive zone than anyone not drafted first overall this year.

According to what we’ve learned from solid insider information, it’s indeed because of his excruciating attitude that the young man is now a prospect of the Flyers (Daniel Brière’s club, strongly considered for the position of Habs GM) and not of the Montreal Canadiens.

Of course, this isn’t the first time the attitude issue has come to the fore…

But despite all the red flags in his case (contract, nationality, circumstances of his father’s death, greatness, defensive play, etc.), it was really his attitude that convinced the Habs to go in another direction.

The other aspects undoubtedly weighed in the balance, but not enough to overturn the decision.

The point is, we’re not just talking about a guy who’s not the most pleasant or something minor. He really is a huge red flag and his behavior is really problematic.

In fact, his team-mates find it hard to feel for him, and his coaches find him hard to coach. We also know that it’s not always easy with those around him.

That’s why the Habs decided not to bring him into their organization. Internally, there was a feeling that if the club drafted him and he were to arrive here in 2026, he would become a bad apple in the locker room.

This extremely reliable information from the heart of the Canadiens explains why the young man is elsewhere at the moment.

Extension

The Habs are trying to establish a corporate culture within their organization. Under Martin St-Louis, they want guys who form a cohesive team and go to war for each other.

Kent Hughes, on the other hand, has built a club of guys who want to play for the Habs. Having a guy who seemed to want to choose his destination wasn’t necessarily optimal, let’s face it.

Let’s remember that Michkov was on loan this season in the KHL. Is this enunciatory of the fact that he’s a guy who’s a bad teammate? It probably has something to do with it.

In life, you have to listen to your little finger. And in light of the comments about Mishkov, the little finger of Habs management had something important to say about the Russian.