The New Unending Flyers thread

[zambonir]

This was rumored a few weeks back though (and remains a rumor for now). The thing that's puzzling is at no point did anyone suggest he could do that of his own accord.

[bkeich]

it has been reported that No. 1 prospect Matvei Michkov is expected to terminate his KHL contract with SKA St. Petersburg and leave to continue his career with the Flyers.

The Flyers do not seem to be aware of this development.

That sounds like a great way to end up in a Gulag

[zambonir]

Clearly something has changed though. They let Fedotov go. And SKA has never actually had Michkov play for them so it might be partly mutual. Latest speculation is it's just a question of how much money he has to pay to get out of the deal. Which is something Fedotov might have had to do too, we just never heard about it. And it has to be the player not the team, and in Michkov's case his NHL salary won't be very high.

Let's just assume this is true - what does it do for the current off-season? Yeah, it's still a transition/rebuild year, but it would change the immediate goals/dynamic. Not necessarily to make the playoffs, but to give him the right linemates/teammates/role.

[bkeich]

I assume Michkov starts in LHV, honestly Fedotov may also. Michkov would really have to be incredible to play in the NHL this next season more than a little showcase at the end of the year. Let him learn, he probably still has a long way to go.

Fedotov is more the question, he really is not young. Is he our backup goalie? Is he the starter 1A? Does he need 15 starts in LHV? More? It is all a big question. The flyers goaltending is a big question mark.

Errsson was great, but he also was exposed as he wore down, he isn’t a 65 start guy, maybe not even really a 50 start guy. He would be a very good backup, but that may be all.

If we get another goalie where does that leave Fedotov? Maybe he and Errsson each make 40 starts, but not many teams succeed without a clear starting goalie. Maybe it works itself out during the year. Maybe we look to add an aging veteran to take some of the pressure off? It is really hard to know, you have to trust what the coaches are saying as to whether they can get a little or a lot out of Fedetov

[zambonir]

Oh I think Fedotov is clearly the back-up goalie given his salary. They might sign another veteran for depth/AHL if they buy out Peterson. The team is still not trying to win, so they can afford to go with an Ersson/Fedotov tandem. It is a 1-2 year bake-off that will end with one or the other of them winning a permanent NHL job - it just might not be the starting job - and the other being traded or let go (depending how they turn out).

A lot of teams do succeed without a clear starting goalie, too. Including last year's Cup champion.

And Michkov is supposed to be good enough to play in the NHL, and wouldn't be exercising this power move to go play in Allentown. I don't think they would want him to come over (or sign his contract) otherwise, they'd be better off just leaving him in Russia. They are already having an issue with Kolosov being unhappy with his stint in the AHL (and, supposedly, the difficult cultural adjustment and less fancy living conditions).

[Aquapong]

ULLI Pulkovo Airport (ULLI) - FlightAware

Michkov watch!! Not many flights from St Petersburg to international destinations. Maybe he can just sneak across the Finland border without getting shot.

[Austinfan]

Michkov goes directly to the NHL, he's not good, he's an elite prospect, basically matched every top Russian forward who has come over to NA in production in his D+1 year in the KHL.The KHL is probably slightly above the AHL, so to be that productive at his age is very favorable.

Fedotov isn't going to sniff Lehigh, he was signed to push for a starting job, has 4 years experience in the KHL.
132 starts and 32 PO starts. Question are they getting the NHL backup quality guy from this last season, or the potentially elite guy who carried his team to a KHL championship?

[xogfog]

Apparently, Michkov's KHL coach is saying Michkov needs to be with the Flyers and on the first line or else he is going to try to keep him in the KHL.

I suppose you could roll with;

Michkov - Coutourier - Tippett
Farabee - Frost - Konecny
Brink - Laughton - Foerster
Cates - Poehling - Barkey

[zambonir]

That doesn't seem especially enforceable. Also hasn't that coach refused to have him on the team for the past two years?

It's solely about the $ (if not also the politics).

[xogfog]

True, but that money has to come out of Michkov's pockets, the Flyers are not allowed to pay any money.

[Docs]

Someone needs to get him an NIL deal!

[zambonir]

Right but that's why it seems silly for the SKA coach to be making any demands from the Flyers. But then he is probably not especially relevant to the process anyway (vs. the team chairman or owner).

But it's still funny he'd say that when they didn't even find a spot for him on their own team.

[Aquapong]

Barkey is a ways away.

Personally I like the idea of Frost dishing to Michkov and TK on a line. But TK and Laughton work well together too.

Farabee Couturier Tippett
Michkov Frost TK
Brink Laughton Foerster
Cates Poehling Hathaway

I think last season should give us some doubts about Couturier, but his defensive presence could help against other teams’ top lines. Brink has improved, but there no more RW slots to put him. We still need two more left wings I think. Maybe that will be Barkey in the future. Lycksell may factor in. Tuomaala may start to crack the roster. The bottom line is we may need to start trading assets for premium assets or players soon.

[xogfog]

I agree with you about Barkey, but not Michkov, he will be the most talented player on the team, can't have him on a second line. He only ends up on a second line if his play warrants it, which is possible as a young player, but I doubt it.

[zambonir]

Funny, Kurtz just wrote about this.

Flyers depth chart 1.0: Quest for a No. 1 center remains ongoing

But even if Michkov does come over, there’s the question as to whether he would be able to jump into a top six role right away. While the Flyers are hopeful that Michkov will eventually become a high-end, dangerous offensive threat with his lethal NHL-level shot, there are no guarantees that would happen right away.

But I agree with you. I also think it's largely semantics. He'd get big ice time and power play time and there's not really that big a difference between the first, second and third centers as the team is currently constituted. Any line he is on would automatically be the second line (and it would be the first line if he plays with Tippett. Kurtz has Michkov and TK as both being RWs).

If he is coming over they might try to acquire a different kind of center than they might otherwise, or be less eager to trade one away (I still think Frost is available, and obviously there is still the Laughton question).

[VoteForKalas]

Another big question is how Torts coaches Michkov. Usually need to earn your time with Torts.

[zambonir]

Haha yikes. Maybe instead of changing their plans for what kind of center or rebuilding timeline they are on they just need to change coaches now.

Inquirer story today rehashes what the SKA coach said, while noting that there is almost no way Michkov ever plays in Lehigh Valley (the SKA coach also mentioned Michkov playing in the ECHL, which shows how speculatively ludicrous the rhetoric was). Either way, that is not something that could be negotiated or even planned for. If it were somehow to happen he would have to be assigned to SKA by the Flyers at that point.

[Aquapong]

Personally, I look at building lines through complimentary skill sets and not necessarily piling the best talent on one line. Defensively I wouldn’t want Frost and Michkov facing the other team’s top line at this point. The top two lines get plenty of minutes anyway.

How many games will sell out in Reading to see this kid if he’s with the Royals?

Flyers not expected to buy out Peterson.

[xogfog]

2 round mock draft from the Atlantic:

12 Philadelphia Flyers (Pick by Pronman): Berkly Catton, C, Spokane

The Flyers take a swing on the dynamic playmaking center in Catton. Ideally they’d add a bit more size after picking Matvei Michkov last year but like with Michkov, Catton’s talent is too much to pass up at 12.

30 Philadelphia Flyers (Pick by Pronman): Dominik Badinka, RHD, Malmo

The Flyers add a blueliner late in the first like they did last season with Oliver Bonk. Badinka is tall, mobile and has decent offensive skills as well.

36 Philadelphia Flyers (Pick by Pronman): Linus Eriksson, C, Djurgarden

The captain of Sweden’s 2006 age group, Eriksson is a well-rounded center who has been productive versus men in Sweden.

51 Philadelphia Flyers (Pick by Wheeler): Maxim Masse, RW, Chicoutimi

Viewed as a potential first-rounder heading into this season, concerns about Masse’s skating and pace of play make him available in the late-second for the Flyers. Masse’s a well-rounded forward who was the CHL’s rookie of the year last season and led Chicoutimi in scoring with 36 goals and 75 points in 67 games this year.

[phillychuck]

I would love that draft!