The Flyers could be in position to add an elite scorer in this year's draft, and they need to take advantage of the opportunity.
The 2023 NHL Entry Draft class is considered one of the deepest groups of prospects to enter the NHL in years, and it's not hard to see why.
Connor Bedard, the headliner of the 2023 class, is regarded as arguably the top draft-eligible prospect since Connor McDavid. The 17-year-old has done it all — he's the first player in Western Hockey League history to be granted exceptional status, he ranks fourth all-time in points scored at a single U20 World Junior Championship (23 in just seven games), and he's coming off one of the best seasons in junior hockey history with 71 goals and 143 points in 57 games.
Bedard, while clearly the crown jewel of the class, isn't the only future superstar expected to come out of this year's draft. Adam Fantilli, who is likely to be selected No. 2 overall, is coming off an exceptional year of his own. Fantilli, 18, logged 30 goals and 65 points in 36 games at the University of Michigan as a freshman and was given the Hobey Baker Award as the NCAA's top player in men's hockey. He also helped Canada win gold at the World Championship in May.
Without question, Fantilli is a heck of a consolation prize for the Anaheim Ducks, who slid to No. 2 in the pecking order after the Chicago Blackhawks won the draft lottery.
But as good as Bedard and Fantilli will be as NHLers, neither have captured the intrigue of hockey fans around the globe quite like Matvei Michkov has.
Michkov, a native of Perm, Russia, is one of the most fascinating draft prospects in recent memory. At just 16 years old, he broke Alex Ovechkin's record as the youngest player ever to suit up for Russia's men's national team. And now, at 18 years old, he's coming off a 20-point campaign in 27 games while on loan with HC Sochi of the Kontinental Hockey League, which many consider the top hockey league in the world outside of North America.
His 0.74 points per game are the most in KHL history for a player under the age of 19, and he did it while playing on the worst team in the league.
Under normal circumstances, Michkov would probably be in the running to go No. 2 overall in this loaded draft class. But given the geopolitical climate in Russia, on top of the fact that he is under contract with SKA St. Petersburg through 2026, many teams are unconvinced Michkov would be worth the gamble so early in the draft.
The Philadelphia Flyers should not be one of those teams. In fact, this is as good a time as ever for the Flyers to take a risk and draft a player like Michkov. Even if the decision ends up biting them down the road.
The Flyers, after three straight seasons of missing the playoffs, are finally embracing a much-needed rebuild. New Flyers general manager Danny Briere has made it clear since his hiring that his club, in its current form, is not a quick fix, and that it could be multiple years before a return to the playoffs is even realistic.
For that reason, Michkov makes a lot of sense for the Flyers. For one, he offers the type of high-end skill the Flyers have sorely lacked over the last decade-plus. His scoring prowess is extremely rare, and many believe he could become one of the NHL's elite snipers someday.
During the 2020-21 season while playing in the MHL (Russia's top junior hockey league), Michkov posted 38 goals and 56 points in 56 games, breaking Nikita Kucherov's record for most points scored by a 16-year-old in MHL history.
Two months after the conclusion of his record-breaking MHL season? He scored 12 goals and 16 points in seven games to win MVP at the 2021 U18 World Championship. He also led Russia to a gold medal while logging eight goals and 13 points at the 2021 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
Michkov's track record is beyond impressive. But is it impressive enough to entice the Flyers to take a gamble on him with their No. 7 overall selection?
They might just be convinced.
On Thursday, Briere and Flyers assistant general manager Brent Flahr met with the media ahead of Wednesday's draft, and Flahr divulged that the Flyers have done their fair share of homework in regard to Michkov specifically.
"We do a lot of background. We do talk to players on his team, we've talked to coaches — or our staff have talked to — so we've done a lot of our background and we'll spend time with him and his family and get a comfort level and then make a decision appropriately."
The Flyers have been aggressive about acquiring more high picks in this year's draft. The addition of the No. 22 pick in the Ivan Provorov trade was "critical" to Briere, and he hasn't been shy about the idea of potentially adding another first-rounder to his arsenal.
The more draft capital the Flyers accumulate, the more opportunities they'll have to take a gamble on a prospect like Michkov, who has the potential to become a game-changing player in the NHL.
But it's also understandable why the Flyers would possibly be hesitant to take such a risk on Michkov, especially after what unfolded with Russian goalie prospect Ivan Fedotov last summer.
Fedotov, following a stellar 2021-22 season in the KHL and a spectacular performance at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, was expected to come to North America ahead of the 2022-23 season and compete for a roster spot as the Flyers' backup goalie behind Carter Hart. But soon after signing his entry-level contract with the Flyers, he was arrested in St. Petersburg for allegedly evading military service and reportedly was stationed at a military base in Severomorsk.
It is now unclear when, or if, Fedotov will ever play a game in the NHL.
Still, as frightening as the Fedotov situation has been, many Russian players have had much different experiences crossing the pond over the last year. For example, Andrei Kuzmenko of the Vancouver Canucks successfully came to North America last season after several productive years playing for SKA St. Petersburg. He went on to put together a 39-goal, 74-point season with the Canucks.
Simply getting to the United States isn't the only issue with Michkov, though. Because of the five-year contract he signed with SKA St. Petersburg in 2020, he is not eligible to play in the NHL until 2026. Many teams, for obvious reasons, may not want to wait three years to see Michkov finally make his NHL debut.
The Flyers, however, do not seem to be one of those teams. In fact, Flahr is preaching patience with the young players currently in the pipeline.
Barring a small miracle, the Flyers are not expected to be competing for the Stanley Cup for at least a few years, so what harm is there in letting young players develop as the rebuild takes shape?
Maybe 2026 wouldn't be too long a wait after all.
"We want the best player three, four years down the road," Flahr told the media Thursday. "It's not a rush as far as who's gonna be playing first. There's a lot of guys who will play sooner, but who's gonna become the best NHL player is our focus."
Briere shared the same opinion.
"It's about the development of the player. I'm not worried if it's three, four, five years down the road that they become the best they can be. I'm not worried about next year or the year after."
Michkov's talent is no secret. As one of the most talked-about prospects in this year's draft class, it's feasible (and even somewhat likely) that a team ahead of the Flyers could nab Michkov and watch him blossom into a 50-goal scorer one day. Bedard is going No. 1, and Fantilli will go No. 2. Beyond that, anything can happen.
But with so many potential red flags, there's a real possibility Michkov could still be on the board at No. 7. If so, the Flyers would only be doing themselves a disservice by not placing all their chips in the middle of the table.
At the time of this writing, the Flyers own 10 selections in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft. It wouldn't be remotely surprising if they add to that total in the coming days.
If the board falls just right, the Flyers could have the chance to swing for the fences. After years of striking out looking, it's time to swing away.