Top Prospect's Draft Stock Reportedly Falling for These Two Reasons
The 2023 NHL Entry Draft is projected to be one for the ages, loaded with top-end talent with great depth. Teams are projecting this year's class to be so strong, that this year's 2nd round picks reportedly hold more value than next summer's 1st rounders.
While Connor Bedard has today's basement dwellers licking their chops, several players are projected to make fine consolation prizes for lottery losers. One such player is Russian forward Matvei Michkov.
Since being loaned to HC Sochi, Michkov has scored 6 points in 11 KHL games as an 18-year old (.55 points/game); by contrast, Alexander Ovechkin scored 23 points in 53 KHL games (.43 points/game).
Even with his scoring acumen, his draft stock has reportedly taken a huge hit recently, and there's two - possibly three - reasons why:
2) according to one 'insider,' Michkov has 'character issues'
3) he recently returned from a serious lower-body injury after a huge hit from former NHL defenseman Alexei Emelin
Michkov signed a five-year contract extension with SKA St. Petersburg in December of 2020, which will undoubtedly scare some teams away from drafting him; especially if they are in a rush to be competitive.
Additionally, Ryan Kennedy of The Hockey News writes that - according to at least one source - Michkov has character issues, which just adds to any skepticism NHL clubs might have (see: Nail Yakupov).
Disclaimer with that point: if this 'insider' works for a team with a later draft pick, then you can pretty much throw it out entirely, as it's probably a disinformation ploy. All is fair in love and war.
Lastly, Michkov's injury kept him out of action for five months. Since returning, he hasn't skipped a beat, but it's not unprecedented that his sort of injury can tank one's draft stock. Couple that with the recency bias against Russian-born players and the aforementioned 'character issues,' and it's possible the consensus #2 prospect falls in the draft.
Which GM has the stomach to take Matvei Michkov despite that, though? That is the real question...
Source: Ryan Kennedy, THN
| POLL | ||
JANVIER 18 | 229 ANSWERS Top Prospect's Draft Stock Reportedly Falling for These Two Reasons If you held a top-3 draft pick, would you select Matvei Michkov? | ||
| Yes | 68 | 29.7 % |
| No | 76 | 33.2 % |
| Maybe | 49 | 21.4 % |
| See results | 36 | 15.7 % |
| LIST OF POLLS | ||
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APRIL 26, 2026
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| G | A | PTS | ||
| Nathan MacKinnon | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Bowen Byram | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Josh Doan | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Peyton Krebs | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Alex Tuch | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Gabriel Landeskog | - | 2 | 2 | |
| Zach Benson | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Zachary Bolduc | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Cole Caufield | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Joel Edmundson | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jake Guentzel | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Sean Kuraly | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Cale Makar | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Beck Malenstyn | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Nicolas Roy | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Devon Toews | 1 | - | 1 | |
| Jordan Greenway | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Kaiden Guhle | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Lane Hutson | - | 1 | 1 | |
| Nazem Kadri | - | 1 | 1 | |
| COMPLETE STATS | ||||
| 2025-2026 NHL STANDINGS | ||||||
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | ||
| Sabres | 82 | 50 | 23 | 9 | 109 | |
| Lightning | 82 | 50 | 26 | 6 | 106 | |
| Canadiens | 82 | 48 | 24 | 10 | 106 | |
| Bruins | 82 | 45 | 27 | 10 | 100 | |
| Senators | 82 | 44 | 27 | 11 | 99 | |
| Red Wings | 82 | 41 | 31 | 10 | 92 | |
| Panthers | 82 | 40 | 38 | 4 | 84 | |
| Maple Leafs | 82 | 32 | 36 | 14 | 78 | |
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | ||
| Hurricanes | 82 | 53 | 22 | 7 | 113 | |
| Penguins | 82 | 41 | 25 | 16 | 98 | |
| Flyers | 82 | 43 | 27 | 12 | 98 | |
| Capitals | 82 | 43 | 30 | 9 | 95 | |
| Blue Jackets | 82 | 40 | 30 | 12 | 92 | |
| Islanders | 82 | 43 | 34 | 5 | 91 | |
| Devils | 82 | 42 | 37 | 3 | 87 | |
| Rangers | 82 | 34 | 39 | 9 | 77 | |
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | ||
| Avalanche | 82 | 55 | 16 | 11 | 121 | |
| Stars | 82 | 50 | 20 | 12 | 112 | |
| Wild | 82 | 46 | 24 | 12 | 104 | |
| Mammoth | 82 | 43 | 33 | 6 | 92 | |
| Blues | 82 | 37 | 33 | 12 | 86 | |
| Predators | 82 | 38 | 34 | 10 | 86 | |
| Jets | 82 | 35 | 35 | 12 | 82 | |
| Blackhawks | 82 | 29 | 39 | 14 | 72 | |
| GP | W | L | OL | PTS | ||
| Golden Knights | 82 | 39 | 26 | 17 | 95 | |
| Oilers | 82 | 41 | 30 | 11 | 93 | |
| Ducks | 82 | 43 | 33 | 6 | 92 | |
| Kings | 82 | 35 | 27 | 20 | 90 | |
| Sharks | 82 | 39 | 35 | 8 | 86 | |
| Kraken | 82 | 34 | 37 | 11 | 79 | |
| Flames | 82 | 34 | 39 | 9 | 77 | |
| Canucks | 82 | 25 | 49 | 8 | 58 | |
COMPLETE STANDINGS | ||||||