RW Matvei Michkov - SKA-1946 St.Petersburg, MHL (2023 Draft)
- Thread starter Flynn84
- Start date
- Status
GermanSpitfire
EU Video Scout for McKeen’s
Fantomas
Registered User
- Aug 7, 2012
- 13,299
- 6,630
GermanSpitfire
EU Video Scout for McKeen’s
Kucherov’s stats at the same age line up quite favourable with Michkov, and seeing what Kucherov has done at the NHL level that’s no slant against Michkov.
Abramov is a bit of a reach however the amount
of hype from Abramov as a 14/15 year old is similar to that of Michkov.
Fantomas
Registered User
- Aug 7, 2012
- 13,299
- 6,630
Michkov is a top prospect. Kucherov wasn't. Maybe he should have been, but wasn't.
He had no international pedigree and went under the radar until he was 17. Not comparable.
Pavel Buchnevich
Drury and Laviolette Must Go
Let's not even talk about Abramov here. A totally different level. And Abramov never had that kind of hype. Kucherov had his first season the MHL(in which he was PPG) at age 16-17.
As I wrote. Borderline decision, but I saw a lot of those being a PS right away.
Pavel Buchnevich
Drury and Laviolette Must Go
I think he was a similar caliber prospect. Maybe not as good at junior hockey. I think Michkov is a great prospect, potentially 1OA caliber eventually, but I think he’s the type of player who will fare better in junior hockey than pro hockey. I think a lot aren’t accounting for that. It doesn’t mean he won’t be a great player, but it does mean that we need to not only look at his junior numbers. We need to look at how his skillset projects to the NHL. Jack Hughes was another example of this that I pointed out at the time. He beat records of players like Eichel and Matthews, but I thought it was always clear stylistically his junior game wouldn’t translate as well stylistically as those two to the NHL.
Between the national teams Belarus U18, Belarus U17, Russia U17 and Russia U16.
Scheduled from 5 to 7 November. But yesterday it was canceled due to an outbreak of infection among the players of one of the Belarus teams
Svechnikov was very highly toughted but Michkov is slightly better and has more hype (rightfully so), the best prospect from Russia after Ovi IMO.
I agree in parts. Remember that Jack Hughes is at least 6 months younger and much less physically developed at the same age in the first season. I can't say that Hughes will be as successful as Eichel / Matthews, but he has the potential to be on the same level. I say the same about Michkov.
Last edited:
Pavel Buchnevich
Drury and Laviolette Must Go
I don't agree. There's a threshold where the stats stop mattering, and I think we've arrived there. No one thinks Michkov and the prior example of Hughes won't be very good players, but saying someone was better at junior hockey or scored more points stops mattering at a certain point where their point totals are all great at the junior hockey level and they are all very good junior hockey players.
It really won't end up mattering who was better than who in junior or who scored the most points. It'll matter how they translate to the NHL, and I think a player like Michkov's lack of size and top level skating will make a small difference compared to someone like Svechnikov. As for Hughes, I've long mentioned that I think he will lack in non-scoring parts of the game compared to Eichel, and even Matthews.
It's not a slight on any of these players, but I completely disagree with any comparison thats based entirely or almost entirely off of junior point totals or who was better at junior hockey. If you want to say someone is a better prospect, make it an argument about how their games translate to the NHL. If it's not that, I'm not buying the argument.
I agree, but at no time did I pay attention to the numbers. You are doing this. And yes, I think Michkov will have a hard time if his speed doesn't improve, but that is not all and he will probably evolve accordingly. He's only 15 years old. John Tavares is also not an insane skater, but that didn't stop him from being one of the best scorers of his generation.
Gusev is even slower skater, than Michkov, but he did ok in his first NHL season on a terrible team, and will probably be even better next season.
Habs76
Registered User
People are forgetting I think that skating does come with age, because it's so closely correlated with strength. Michkov's edgework and stride are both excellent, he just doesn't have a blazing top gear (his top speed is above average, honestly).
Well I don't think that's a red flag regardless, considering he's a more methodical player than a physical tools-reliant player, it's likely to change with time anyways.
Well I don't think that's a red flag regardless, considering he's a more methodical player than a physical tools-reliant player, it's likely to change with time anyways.
- Status
