B/R Rank: 3

Analysis: 

The only reason Michkov was third on our board was because of the complicated nature of Russian politics at the moment and because he is committed to SKA in the KHL for the next three seasons. On ability alone, he's closer to Bedard than he is to being the third-best player in this draft class. If he lives up to his talent, then he's worth the wait. The Flyers just got a future superstar at seventh overall.

Pick Grade: A+

Scouting Report:

Here is a sentence I do not write lightly: Matvei Michkov is the best draft-eligible winger the NHL has seen since 2007, when the Chicago Blackhawks selected Patrick Kane first overall.

The best way to describe Michkov's game is "electric." Every time he touches the puck, one anticipates that something special could be imminent.

Michkov is at his best when he's starting along the walls or behind the net. Michkov is a threat to create even from these ostensibly low-danger positions. He carries pucks from the perimeter into dangerous areas of the ice. He's a high-end playmaker who penetrates the middle lanes and finds teammates in scoring areas.

He does not hesitate to carry the puck into the offensive zone even when he is alone against multiple defenders. Despite the mismatch, Michkov usually maintains possession long enough for teammates to join him. The Russian winger is the draft's best stickhandler, and it's in this way that his 5'10", 148-pound frame actually becomes an advantage; with short arms and a low center of gravity, Michkov maneuvers around defenders with ease even when he's seemingly backed into a corner.

He's a lethal goal scorer. Whenever Michkov has the puck, other teams take notice and often become paralyzed.

Michkov isn't a physical player, but he's active in stick battles. While he's not going to hand out many hits, he does not shy away from contact. He is strong at the waist and in the legs, and opposing players struggle to knock him off the puck.

Let's put his season in perspective. Michkov tallied nine goals and 11 assists in 27 games with Sochi of the KHL (plus three with St. Petersburg), which is far and away the league's best-ever showing by a first-time draft-eligible player. Michkov's 0.67 points per game ranks above what Artemi Panarin, Vladimir Tarasenko, Kirill Kaprizov and Pavel Buchnevich tallied in their age-19 season.

When watching him play, it's hard to miss the similarities between him and players like Panarin and Nikita Kucherov. Like Panarin, he creates zone entries in impossible situations and shows incredible playmaking ability. Like Kucherov, he is a lethal shooting threat. There is every reason to believe that Michkov will be a superstar just as those two are—maybe better.

Besides his skating and defense, the biggest concern with Michkov is his availability. Russia's war with Ukraine has created numerous geopolitical consequences that are bleeding into hockey. Even without that, Michkov is under contract with St. Petersburg of the KHL for three more seasons. The earliest Michkov's drafting team will see him is the spring of 2026.

But look, we're talking about a rare player who should be able to give his drafting team 10-15 years of superstardom. Michkov is the best Russian prospect since Evgeni Malkin in 2005. If not for the off-ice context, he'd be the second player on my list without hesitation. If he does fall because of optics and/or logistics, then it's going to be a franchise-changing moment for whoever decides to take the plunge.