Flyers elated to have Michkov in fold: 'We never thought this would happen'

The Philadelphia Flyers were not expecting to have top prospect Matvei Michkov with the team so quickly.

The 19-year-old forward was drafted seventh overall by the Flyers in 2023 but Philadelphia was expecting to wait for his contract with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL to expire.

However, when the opportunity arose to bring Michkov over early, the Flyers were beside themselves with excitement.

“When we drafted him last year, we never thought this would happen [so quickly],” general manager Daniel Briere said at the press conference introducing Michkov on Wednesday. “To get him early at 19-years-old, getting him to learn under a coach like John Tortorella and this coaching staff, it’s a great opportunity for him.”

Heading into the 2023 NHL Draft, Michkov was considered to be just below Chicago Blackhawks phenom Connor Bedard based on his talent but the questions surrounding his KHL contract and the uncertainty surrounding Russia regarding their war with Ukraine scared general managers and scouts away.

TSN’s director of scouting Craig Button placed him as No. 4 on his final list before the draft, just behind Bedard, Columbus Blue Jackets centre Adam Fantilli, and Anaheim Ducks centre Leo Carlsson. Meanwhile TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie listed him at No. 5 on his final rankings.

“We had no expectation of him coming in until his contract was done. It was the reason he fell [in the draft] because he otherwise would have gone in the top two or three,” said Briere. “We felt like we were in a position to wait [for his contract to expire] but to have this opportunity is amazing.”

Michkov will join a Flyers team that went 38-33-11 last season and saw their playoff chances came down to the final days of the season. He adds to a young core that already includes Travis Konecny, Joel Farabee, Morgan Frost, Owen Tippett, Jamie Drysdale, as well as veterans like Sean Couturier, Erik Johnson, and Garnet Hathaway.

Briere believes that adding Michkov’s talent will only add another layer for the Flyers’ chances next season.

“There’s been internal growth [to our team],” said Briere. “Our younger guys are a year older and are a little more mature. Michkov adds another level of skill and to add a player of his talent level will hopefully, eventually make us a better team.”

Briere can relate to Michkov’s challenges coming into the NHL. Briere, like Michkov, came into the NHL as 20-year-old from Gatineau, Que., unable to speak English.  While he knows it is a different scenario from adjusting to the United States from Russia, he believes the universal language will help bring him up to speed.

“The culture is totally different from Canada to the United States as opposed to Russia,” said Briere. “From my own experience, it’ll take a couple of months for him to feel more comfortable. The hockey terms are similar so I’m not worried about [the logistics of managing the language gap], especially being here two months early.”

Briere also believes that the roster will also help the young centre feel comfortable in the locker room. Defenceman Egor Zamula and goaltender Ivan Fedotov are also native Russian speakers while the veteran in the room also have a reputation of bringing the team together.

“We have a pretty tight locker room,” said Briere. “Guys like Nicolas Deslauriers, Johnson, and Hathaway are great veterans and have been around a long time to make sure he fits in. They’re going to help out and go out of their way to make him feel comfortable.

“That’s why having good veterans is key when you bring young guys out of their comfort zone, it’s really important.”