Photo Credit: Yariv Wolok
Matvei Michkov has officially arrived in Philadelphia and is set to make his NHL debut this upcoming season. As a result, it’s evident an extremely talented winger has been added to the Flyers roster.
With the sheer hype surrounding Michkov since before he was drafted and his record breaking production along the way, there’s no surprise a fair share of expectations have already been placed on the 19-year-old by the Flyers fanbase.
Highlighting Michkov’s Past Production
When looking at things from a production perspective Michkov has proven his ability to be an elite talent at every level of play from 16 and onwards.
Michkov first joined the under-20 MHL level and recorded 56 points, the most of any 16 year old in one single MHL season. This surpassed the likes of Nikita Kucherov (54), Pavel Buchnevich (44), Kirill Kaprizov (34), and Kirill Marchenko (26).
During the same season Michkov participated in the 2021 IIHF World Under-18 Championship and out produced Connor Bedard. Michkov led the tournament in scoring with 12 goals and four assists, for a total of 16 points and was named MVP.
Not to mention, the 16 points scored were the second highest total points scored for a 16-year-old ever at the Under-18 tournament aside from the 18 points scored by Alex Ovechkin in 2002 and Mikhail Grigorenko in 2011.
In league play, Michkov has shown the same ability to be a consistent point producer. The winger registered 14 points in 12 games at the VHL level and 66 points in 91 games at the KHL level in total.
More impressively this past season in the KHL, Michkov’s points per game was 14th in the league at 0.854 (photo credit, Quanthockey.com):
Unfair Expectations and Michkov’s Transition to the NHL Level
Taking the above into consideration, there’s ample reason to believe Michkov’s offensive prowess could translate to the NHL level phenomenally.
The fact he’s already played against men since the 2021 season certainly solidifies the thought process that he should be physically ready for the rigors of the NHL level.
Despite the fact Michkov appears to be ready to play in the NHL and has been a point producer at the KHL level there will still be adjustments the winger will need to make in his rookie season.
Such as, understanding the speed of play, the physicality, and the increased scoring in comparison to the KHL level.
Most importantly, he’ll be taking on the most talented players in the world which is another factor to consider. However, Michkov will also suit up with the most talented teammates he’s ever had in the NHL as well, so that could be a benefit.
Nonetheless, these elements above are all reasons why unfair expectations should not be placed on Michkov in regards to his offensive production this season.
Although he is immensely talented there will be a learning curve, as there is for any rookie both on the ice and off the ice. It’s unfair to expect a 19-year-old rookie to jump into NHL play and be a point per game player immediately.
Michkov will certainly flash his talent and show why he was considered as one of the most talented prospects outside of the NHL before this upcoming season. But, he’ll need time to figure out what works in the NHL offensively in comparison to the KHL.
A few aspects of Michkov’s game that will certainly assist with the transition to the NHL is his play off the rush, his elusiveness in the offensive zone with the puck on his stick, along with his willingness to attack the net and go to the front of the net regularly.
Projections for Michkov’s Rookie Season
In terms of projections for Matvei Michkov this upcoming season, I expect the following to occur.
Firstly, Michkov will primarily be placed in a top six role with considerable power-play usage. Due to this, it’s likely he averages roughly 15 minutes of time on ice per game.
In relation to point production, as long as Michkov remains healthy and can play 82 games I anticipate he will score 24 goals and 36 assists for a total of 60 points in his rookie season.
Michkov’s ability to produce offense with time and space should contribute positively to the Flyers power-play and help it improve to better than last in the NHL.
Final Thoughts
Ultimately, time will tell how Matvei Michkov adjusts to the highest level of play that is the NHL and if that will be a smooth or rocky adaptation. In either scenario, it’s important to note the young forward is still only 19-years-old and far from a fully developed product.
Development for prospects is not linear in most cases. If there are stretches where Michkov struggles as he continues to progress and become a more complete player, that is not anything out of the ordinary for a 19-year-old in his first full NHL season.
