One season closer to seeing Michkov as a Flyer!
One season closer to seeing Michkov as a Flyer!
The season might be over for Flyers' top prospect Matvei Michkov, as HC Sochi (where he's on loan from SKA St. Petersburg) are out of playoff contention in the KHL. Michkov, however, doesn't plan on taking any breaks now that his season is over.
Speaking to Russian media outlet WatchTV, confirmed that he does plan on returning to SKA St. Petersburg when the new season begins, but has not been in contact with his club as of late.
"We didn't talk about anything," Michkov said, translated from Russian. "My task is to work, and then we'll see further. Not everything depends on me, but a lot does. And I have to do everything in my power, doing it one hundred percent."
In the meantime, he said that he "will train separately."
"I know what components I need to work hard on," he continued. "I will do just that. I'm already preparing for next season. I won't be sad—I'll just train and make myself better."
Part of that improvement plan includes doing his best to put his rough season behind him. Pneumonia and other stretches of absence from HC Sochi made for a year that, while it had its highlights, Michkov will want to forget.
"Maybe [it was] just some kind of bad luck," he said. "It's very unpleasant to get sick. I would always like to play without pauses, but whatever is done, everything is for the better. Everything is fine now, so hopefully it continues like this."
Michkov has a three-year commitment to play in the KHL, and is one of a number of young Russian hockey players caught in the middle of geopolitical tensions that have affected their ability to to participate in international tournaments.
According to NBC Sports Philadelphia, general manager Danny Briere, along with the rest of the Flyers front office, have stated full confidence in Michkov.
"We grilled him, we asked him some really tough questions and we were satisfied with the answers that we got," Briere said during the draft last June. "Now, you never know for sure, but we had a good feeling.
"Seeing the talent level of this player, we don't have anybody like him in the organization. We've talked for how many years now about how we've needed to bring more skill, more talent to our team. This was a great opportunity to hopefully develop a player that can play that kind of role for us."
Gordie Dwyer, a coach for Canada's U18 team and former KHL head coach, said of Michkov: "What he's doing in the KHL at a young age is pretty impressive. It's not a highly offensive league, so the rate of production that he's producing at is substantial. I feel like the offensive tools that he has will definitely translate into a premier NHL player, I'm pretty confident."
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