according to rumours Matvey Mikkov will eventually fall victim to the Washington Capitals, are getting louder and louder.
According to a report by Russian broadcaster Match TV, the Washington Capitals reportedly targeted Michkov with their first-round draft pick, number eight overall, on Monday. According to the report’s source, “an expert close to the teams that will be selected first in the 2023 draft.”
The source says Michkov has a 99 percent chance of being selected by Washington if he finishes eighth. This pundit also says the Caps will have little competition when it comes to bringing the prolific winger into their organisation.
“Michkov will go to Washington, you’ll see,” the source told Match TV, translating via Google Translate. “The Capitals will definitely take him – there is only one competitor for it.” [them], San Jose, who will make the fourth pick. Because the owner of the club is very fond of Russian ice hockey and is a fan of Igor Larionov.
“According to my information, the Capitals are seriously targeting Michkov,” the source continued. “Moreover, there is the Alexander the Great factor – Ovechkin will take this boy to the capitals if necessary. Eighth-ranked, Washington won’t get a ready-made player to play in the NHL tomorrow. The team will wait [a rebuild]so the Capitals are ready to play with Michkov for a long time to come.”
Rumors have been circulating for the past few days that Michkov would like to be selected by a specific team. Hockey insider Elliotte Friedman reported last Friday that teams have found it nearly impossible to sit down with Michkov over the past season.
The Russian source in the report has revealed why this might be happening. Apparently his KHL club SKA Sankt Petersburg asked him to do that.
“No one is surprised that Matvey fired representatives from the NHL teams who came to join him in Russia,” the source said. “If he doesn’t want to, he won’t communicate. Michkov belongs to SKA for another three years. He’s dependent in that sense – the club had told him not to speak to representatives abroad, so he’s not talking. The teams already know that [at the top of the draft].”
Despite all that, Michkov’s high level of talent and the fact that he could be the top Russian draft nominee could still fascinate teams enough to work towards picking him. Michkov’s 0.67 points per game was the highest for a draft-eligible player in KHL history.
The Russian source contradicted this idea. “It’s hard to imagine Montreal (fifth overall) beating the Russian,” the source began. “Clubs like Arizona (sixth overall) or Philadelphia (seventh overall) understand that Michkov may not come to them until he is 26. In eight seasons, the entire leadership of NHL clubs will change. What’s the point of recruiting a kid when your followers will reap the rewards?
“Aside from talent, there are a million other factors at play,” the source concludes. “Mikkov is number two in the draft talent wise, but he doesn’t get that high.”
Headline photo: Capitals press release