Flyers' Matvei Michkov Reacts to Russia's Impending International Return

On Friday, the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) ruled that Russia, which has been banned from international events since 2022, will be allowed to return to international hockey in 2027, paving the way for Philadelphia Flyers star Matvei Michkov and other Russians to get back to best-on-best competition.

While the IIHF, as well as other nations, have pushed back on CAS's ruling, the IIHF will reluctantly move forward with Russia's return.

For Michkov, who is still just 21 years old, this represents an opportunity to finally represent his nation on the international stage, while playing against the best players from other nations, too.

Michkov did see the news, and it's safe to say he's excited about the future.

"I see before practice. This is new. This is good news for Russian guys, for everybody, and I think for hockey, all hockey, this is better," Michkov told The Hockey News on Saturday. "I think Russia so good team, and when play Russia, all tournaments more harder with Russian guys."

Michkov has only briefly played for Russia internationally as a senior player in the past, playing four games in 2021-22, including three games at the 2021 Euro Hockey Tour, where he scored one goal, one assist, and two points.

"This is my dream. This is my dream, and I want play every time for national for Russia. I so miss for national hockey. NHL so good, all league so good, but when you play national team, this is, I think, next level."

The first international event that could be impacted by Russia's return is the 2027 World Junior Championships, which will kick off on Dec. 26 in Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta, and run to Jan. 5, 2027.

It's unclear if or how things will change with such a short turnaround, but that's of no consequence for Michkov, who is well aged out of World Junior eligibility at this point.

What is clear, though, is that if the Olympics or World Cup of Hockey were to be this year, Michkov would certainly be in contention to be a key player for Russia.

The Flyers winger is off to a torrid start despite the team's 3-8-4 record, scoring nine goals, two assists, and 11 points in 15 games. Plus, Michkov has recorded no fewer than 20 goals and 51 points in each of his first two NHL seasons.

With someone like Alex Ovechkin retiring, and Evgeni Malkin in the twilight years of his career, the opportunity has never been greater for Michkov to seize a spot in the lineup for Russia.

With the latest news from CAS, Michkov is now closer to fulfilling his dream than ever before.