Although he had the audacity to recruit Matvei Michkov in seventh place, Daniel Brière admits he has certain fears.
The general manager of the Philadelphia Flyers made the admission during a lengthy interview Monday on 98.5.
“Are we scared? Yes, a bit like everyone else, Brière realized. That’s probably why he was available at number seven. We hope… we trust that one day he will come to play.
“We know he wants to play in the National League but there are a lot of things that have to go. We believe it will happen, but it won’t happen this year.
Brière explains that there are factors that the player himself does not control.
“It’s about more than just the player,” he said. What is happening in Russia is undoubtedly also scary.
Because if Michkov has his way, Brière is convinced that the Russian prodigy wants to play in the National League (NHL). The Flyers’ two meetings with the prime prospect, one in Philadelphia and one in Nashville, gave Brière that impression.
“He just said he’s looking forward to playing in the NHL,” he said. His father’s dream was to see him win the Stanley Cup.
Demanding
Aware of the rumors surrounding the flamboyant forward’s bad reputation, the Flyers members weren’t afraid to ask some tough questions.
“He told us: ‘I set high standards for myself, but also for my teammates.’ Sometimes that’s what got him a bad rap. He told us: “I’m learning, I’m still young. I made mistakes, I asked too much of some of my teammates.” We’re confident he’ll be able to handle the pressure of playing in a big market like Philadelphia,” Brière said.
Michkov, whose KHL contract does not expire until 2026, will play his regular season opener at SKA St. Petersburg on Saturday, September 2.