NHL Scout Makes a Major Claim Regarding Matvei Michkov

Michkov has been seen as somewhat of an unknown. The dynamic Russian forward had already bursted onto the scene as an elite forward prospect in the SKA St. Petersburg system, before middling minutes held back his Projection, until a loan to fellow KHL squad HC Sochi revitalized Michkov in the eyes of scouts.

After going scoreless in 3 Games with SKA, playing lowly minutes for one of Russia's top teams, Michkov was loaned to bottom club Sochi, and went on a tear, scoring 9 Goals and 20 Points in 27 Games with the club, on his way to leading the KHL in PPG (0.67), beating the record by Vladimir Tarasenko in 2009-10 (0.57).

Michkov possesses an elite offensive game, having quick speed and a strong shot, along with top-end offensive awareness, some put Michkov as the top rival at times to projected 2023 top prospect Connor Bedard.

Kyle Woodlief of 'Red Line Report', an independent Scouting service, has declared the not only is Michkov one of the brightest prospects in the Draft, but compared him more than favorably to some of Hockey's top talents of the last few years.

An in interview with Tony Marinaro, Woodlief compared Michkov's potential to that of superstars Auston Matthews & Nathan MacKinnon.

As well, Woodlief said that if he ranked Michkov in the last 13 Drafts, spanning from 2011 onwards, he would have Michkov 1st in 11 of them.

Woodlief singled out the 2015 (McDavid) and 2023 (Bedard) Draft's as the only two in which he wouldn't take Bedard first.

This list includes MacKinnon (2013) and Matthews (2016), as well as Devils Superstars Nico Hischier (2017) & Jack Hughes (2019), as well as prior 2022 1st Overall Pick Juraj Slafkovsky.

Also taken between then where Ryan Nugent-Hopkins (2011), Nail Yakupov (2012), Aaron Ekblad (2014), Rasmus Dahlin (2018), Alexis Lafreniere (2020) & Owen Power (2021).

Many mocks have been divisive over Michkov as the projected number 2 between himself and Michigan Center Adam Fantilli, the dynamic big-bodied star who became the first Freshman to win the Hobey Baker Award, awarded to the NCAA's Best Player, since Jack Eichel in 2015.

The comparison is very high praise for Michkov, but not one that has been common in Hockey circles, but Michkov has been as a superstar prospect who's visibility was hindered by the ongoing Russian Invasion of Ukraine, which limited fan viewings of Michkov, as Russia was suspended from taking part in IIHF tournaments, including the 2023 World Juniors.

Although it isn't known where Michkov will go in 2023, many consider Michkov one of the best prospects in years, even despite his draft spot. And perhaps, some teams, will regret having passed on what very well could be a future generational prospect.

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