The 2023 NHL Upper Deck Draft will take place at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville on June 28-29. Until then, NHL.com takes a look at the top eligible players.
Matvei Michkov has a message for a general manager who would hesitate to select him quickly in the next draft.
“It’s my dream to play in the NHL one day,” Michkov told NHL.com through an interpreter. “But for now, I will continue to work on my game and develop at home. »
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Home is Russia, where the 18-year-old (5-foot-10, 172-pound) right-winger has 20 points (nine goals, 11 assists) in 30 Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) games this season . Michkov is ranked second among international skaters on NHL Central Scouting’s mid-season draft list.
Michkov got off to a slow start with a knee injury suffered in September and was cleared from the scoresheet in three games for SKA St. Petersburg. But he found success following being loaned out to Sochi on December 20. He averaged 15:51 per game in 17 games with Sochi, following posting a game time of 3:11 with St. Petersburg.
Sochi (11-47-10) finished last in the KHL West and missed the playoffs, but Michkov considers it a formative experience.
“It’s been a tough season for Sochi, but we finished strong and I’m looking forward to building on that next season,” he said. I played with Artur Tyanulin and Amir Garayev, but we had a united group of players. Everyone helped me a lot, especially Ivan Didkovsky and Donat Stalnov. »
Michkov started the season considered by many to be the second best player available in the draft, behind forward Connor Bedard of the Regina Pats of the Western Hockey League. And he still may be, except that forward Adam Fantilli’s impressive rookie season at the University of Michigan has clouded the waters.
Bedard is No. 1 on Central Scouting’s mid-season list of North American skaters and is expected to be the No. 1 overall pick next session, while Fantilli is No. 2. Leo Carlsson, from Örebro in the Swedish Elite League, is ranked No. 1 on the list of international skaters.
Michkov finished fourth in Sochi scoring and third in shots (97), added eight even-strength goals and averaged 2:39 per game on the power play. All this while being the youngest player on the team.
“I consider myself an offensive player, a playmaker with a good scoring touch,” Michkov said. I don’t really lend myself to the game of comparisons, but Bedard is an excellent player once morest whom I loved to compete. »
Michkov scored several spectacular goals during his career, including a “Michigan” in a 5-3 victory over Kunlun in Sochi’s final game of the season on February 26.
The team that decides to draft Michkov will do so knowing that his KHL contract with St. Petersburg ends following the 2025-26 season, so patience will be required.
“I would be comfortable drafting Michkov third overall in the draft,” a Western Conference scouting director told NHL.com.
The return on investment might be gigantic.
“It’s a challenge to get Russian player evaluation reports,” NHL Central Scouting vice-president Dan Marr said. “If you only evaluate the game on the ice, then Michkov is one of the elite players in this class. He has the potential to be in the conversation to become one of the elite players of this decade, like Connor Bedard. If you add the fact that he stays healthy and is a stronger player, Michkov will be able to change a game and have a similar impact on the scoresheet as Bedard. Both have a unique style when in possession of the puck. They are offensive threats and they are electrifying.
“Which rank Michkov will be selected will be one of the topics of conversation at every scout meeting leading up to draft day. »
Michkov said he didn’t watch the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship (WJC). Russia has been banned from international competitions since its invasion of Ukraine.
Bedard led WJC 2023 with 23 points (nine goals, 14 assists) and was named tournament top forward and team most valuable player as Canada won gold for a second year in a row.
“I heard Bedard was amazing in the tournament, and like I said, he’s a great player,” Michkov said. I love watching NHL games, but I don’t have a favorite player. I like to watch the best players in the League. Their skill, speed and decision-making are amazing, and I’m always trying to see if there’s something in what they do that I might add to my game.”
The last time Michkov and Bedard were on the ice together was at the 2021 IIHF World Under-18 Championship, when the two were 16 years old. Michkov led the tournament with 16 points (12 goals, four assists) in seven games and was named the tournament’s most valuable player as well as the tournament’s top forward. Bedard finished tied for second with 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) in seven games. He had joined Michkov on the tournament all-star team.