The Philadelphia Flyers may be getting a bit of good news. News broke on late Sunday morning the KHL Matvei Michkov contract has been terminated. He was with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL, but that contract termination may allow him to play in North America. The report came from Arthur Khairullin of Russian media outlet Sport Express. (The link is in Russian.) Kevin Kurz of The Athletic is working out to see the validity of the Sports Express report.
There’s a report out of Russia that Matvei Michkov “will continue his career next season in Philadelphia.” 👀
The Flyers are reportedly working to confirm the details of the report. pic.twitter.com/wP0TFMi4qL
— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 19, 2024
Russian Matvei Michkov Contract Terminated; Could Play in NHL Soon
Michkov was under contract with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL until 2026. This was after he signed a contract with the team since 2021. Philadelphia selected the Perm, Russia native with the seventh pick of the 2023 NHL Draft. Worries about Michkov’s KHL contract may have scared off some teams from drafting the talented young forward.
He scored a total of 20 goals and 22 assists in 48 games between SKA St. Petersburg and HC Sochi. Michkov has represented his home country at the Under-18 level and at during the 2021 Hlinka-Gretzky tournament.
He was only two points short of breaking the KHL’s single-season scoring record by a player under 20 years old. That record is currently held by Kirill Kaprizov of the Minnesota Wild.
What It Means
Getting a dynamic young forward like Michkov should be a boost to the Flyers lineup. There were times when the Philadelphia attack struggled to score goals. Adding the 19-year-old could give the team a jolt of speed and skill.
The hype surrounding Michkov has been great and many are excited to see what he can do in North America. There’s always a worry about a period of adjustment coming to the NHL. However, he could light up the league much like Kaprizov.
If the reports are true, the Flyers are going to get a major boost in the lineup. This team was just short of missing the Stanley Cup Playoffs. A player like the young Russian could be just what this team needs.
Main photo by: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
