Matvei Michkov is the Flyers’ biggest draft pick from 2023 and one of the most exciting young players to watch in the 2024-25 season.
Even though he’s only 19, Michkov is already considered one of the top young players in the NHL and could be a key player for the Flyers.
Fans have been waiting for his arrival, and now he’s in Philadelphia much earlier than expected.
Drafted seventh overall in 2023, Michkov was thought to be the second-best player in the draft, right behind the famous Connor Bedard.
Though he’s new to many North American fans, Michkov has been tearing it up in Russia. Now, with him getting ready to play in the NHL, people are excited to see what he can do.
In the 2023-24 season with HK Sochi (a team in the KHL, Russia’s top league), Michkov scored 19 goals and had 22 assists in 47 games.
Looking at his stats, these numbers showed that he has the skills to compete at the highest level. Also, he was regarded as one of the best young players in Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League (KHL).
His 0.85 points per game ranked him in the top 96 percent of players, beating out some big names like Evgeny Kuznetsov and Kirill Kaprizov at that age.
Joel Farabee, a key player for the Flyers, has been skating with Michkov since he got to Philadelphia.
Farabee was impressed, saying Michkov’s vision and skills on the ice were unreal. He’s excited for fans to see Michkov in action, though he knows it’s hard to fully judge until they play real games.
Regarding his journey, Michkov’s path to the NHL is pretty unique, as he’s already played several years of pro hockey in Russia.
Since 2021, he’s played 103 games in both the VHL and KHL, way more than most players his age.
For example, Connor Bedard, who was picked first overall in the same draft, hadn’t played a single pro game before joining the NHL in 2023.
Bedard did great in his first year, with 61 points in 68 games, so there’s hope Michkov can make a smooth transition, too, even though he’s still getting used to life in North America.
Based on Michkov’s career numbers, he’s always been a top performer, even when playing against older, more experienced players.
In Russia’s Junior Hockey League (MHL), he led with 51 points in 28 games. He then moved to the Supreme Hockey League (VHL), where he scored 10 goals and 14 points in 12 games.
At every level, he has stood out and proven that he’s ready for the next challenge.
What makes Michkov even more exciting are comparisons to other NHL stars like Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, Jack Eichel, and Jack Hughes.
Like Michkov, these players dominated their junior leagues, and in their second years after being drafted, they put up some seriously impressive numbers.
Based on what they did, it’s possible Michkov could score around 75 points in his first full NHL season, assuming he gets enough ice time and chances to shine.
Elias Pettersson, who plays for the Vancouver Canucks, is another good comparison. He played in a similar Swedish league and had numbers close to what Michkov’s done in Russia.
In his second NHL season, Pettersson won the Calder Trophy for Rookie of the Year and ranked high in points per game.
With that in mind, Michkov is already considered a better prospect than Pettersson was at the same point, so it’s exciting to think about what he could do.
Of course, there are always concerns about how Michkov will adjust to the NHL, especially since he’s played mainly in Russia and doesn’t speak much English.
But other players, like Artemi Panarin and Kirill Kaprizov, also came from the KHL, barely spoke English, and had amazing rookie seasons in the NHL.
Panarin even won the Calder Trophy in 2016; Kaprizov did the same in 2021.
So, while the cultural shift might be tough, it doesn’t seem to hold back top-level players like Michkov.
Given his track record, Michkov could be a major star for the Flyers. He’s shown at every stage that he can dominate, and now he’s bringing that talent to the NHL.
The Flyers just need to give him the opportunities, and if they do, he could easily be one of their top scorers, maybe even competing for Rookie of the Year honors.
As Michkov gets ready for rookie camp and training with the Flyers, there’s a lot of excitement and high expectations around him.
He might face some bumps in the road, but with his skill and determination, he can become one of the NHL’s most exciting players.
For Flyers fans, his arrival is the beginning of a new chapter, full of hope and excitement for the future.
