SJHN Daily: Michkov Trying To Influence Who Drafts Him?

Is Matvei Michkov trying to influence where he’s picked?

On the 32 Thoughts podcast, Elliotte Friedman had this to say: “There’s a number of teams hearing he’s coming in [for the Draft] that want the opportunity to meet with him, and some of these teams haven’t gotten a commitment yet. So what everybody’s kind of wondering here is: does Michkov have a preference?”

Friedman went on to muse, “Is there a team or teams he wants to go to and he’s kind of maneuvering it so that happens? I think that’s still a little bit premature… [But] there are teams that wanna talk to him who haven’t been given any confirmation that they’re gonna be able to talk to him.”

Friedman also noted that even NHL teams with representatives in Russia had trouble meeting Michkov in Russia.

Michkov is a highly-coveted offensive talent in the 2023 NHL Draft, but rumors that he may drop in the NHL Draft first started when he signed a five-year extension with his KHL club in 2021. Character questions have also hurt the youngster’s draft stock as of late.

Are There Character Concerns With Matvei Michkov?

With Connor Bedard and Adam Fantilli likely locked into the top two picks, and the Columbus Blue Jackets leaning toward a center, the San Jose Sharks are the first team with a real likelihood to select the Russian winger.

Michkov has one of the highest upsides among NHL Draft eligibles, however rumors continue to circle as the draft approaches. As Friedman put it best: “The intrigue around him continues.”

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