Headlines

  • Maple Leafs Hire Derek Lalonde As Assistant Coach
  • Avalanche’s Logan O’Connor Out 5-6 Months Following Hip Surgery
  • Lightning Hire Dan Hinote As Assistant Coach
  • Stars Fire Pete DeBoer
  • Rangers Hire David Quinn, Joe Sacco As Assistant Coaches
  • Bruins Name Marco Sturm Head Coach
  • Previous
  • Next
Register
Login
  • MLB Trade Rumors
  • Hoops Rumors
  • Pro Football Rumors

Pro Hockey Rumors

  • Home
  • Teams
    • Atlantic
      • Boston Bruins
      • Buffalo Sabres
      • Detroit Red Wings
      • Florida Panthers
      • Montreal Canadiens
      • Ottawa Senators
      • Tampa Bay Lightning
      • Toronto Maple Leafs
    • Central
      • Chicago Blackhawks
      • Colorado Avalanche
      • Dallas Stars
      • Minnesota Wild
      • Nashville Predators
      • St. Louis Blues
      • Utah Mammoth
      • Winnipeg Jets
    • Metropolitan
      • Carolina Hurricanes
      • Columbus Blue Jackets
      • New Jersey Devils
      • New York Islanders
      • New York Rangers
      • Philadelphia Flyers
      • Pittsburgh Penguins
      • Washington Capitals
    • Pacific
      • Anaheim Ducks
      • Calgary Flames
      • Edmonton Oilers
      • Los Angeles Kings
      • San Jose Sharks
      • Seattle Kraken
      • Vancouver Canucks
      • Vegas Golden Knights
  • About
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Partners
    • MLB Trade Rumors
    • Hoops Rumors
    • Pro Football Rumors
Go To MLB Trade Rumors
Go To Hoops Rumors

Draft Notes: Michkov, Canadiens, Hrabal

June 11, 2023 at 2:30 pm CDT | by Ethan Hetu 8 Comments

Despite the fact that there’s virtually no mystery as to who the Chicago Blackhawks will take with the first overall pick at the draft at the end of the month, this year’s event is shaping up to be one with quite a bit of intrigue. Teams behind the Blackhawks have to grapple with a significant dilemma: whether to take a leap of faith to draft Russian winger Matvei Michkov. Michkov is widely regarded to be in the conversation as the most talented player in the draft, and he scored 20 points in 27 games in the KHL after being loaned to HK Sochi, an incredibly productive rate for a draft-year player. But his contract situation with SKA St. Petersburg will keep him in the KHL for at least three years, and with the uncertainty regarding NHL-KHL relations, it’s fair to wonder whether Michkov is worth the risk when other talented players are on the board.

The Athletic’s Arpon Basu and Marc Antoine Godin report word from folks at the NHL’s scouting combine in Buffalo who say that Michkov “might be available outside the top-10.”(subscription link) This would mean that each of the teams inside the draft’s top-10 picks opted not to take the risk on Michkov, highlighting just how risky some front offices deem the selection. That being said, given how talented Michkov appears to be, it would also be no shock to see him go well inside the top-1o. But the bottom line based on this reporting is that while we have a very clear sense of where Connor Bedard will be headed, the landing spot of one of the other best talents in this class is anyone’s guess.

Some other notes about the 2023 draft, which will take place in Nashville on June 28th and 29th:

  •  Basu and Godin got the impression at the combine that it “doesn’t seem very likely” the Canadiens will draft Michkov with the number-five pick should he be on the board. Instead, they feel the team is giving serious consideration to two other top prospects with that pick: polished Austrian defenseman David Reinbacher and versatile American winger Ryan Leonard. Reinbacher is a valuable right-shot blueliner who impressed playing against men in Switzerland’s top pro league, while Leonard is a competitive winger who alongside fellow first-round talents Will Smith and Gabe Perreault shattered U.S. National Team Development Program scoring records.
  • The Athletic’s Corey Masisiak reports that the San Jose Sharks have on multiple occasions during the season met with Omaha Lancers netminder Michael Hrabal via a team representative. (subscription link) Hrabal, who was measured at nearly six-foot-seven at the combine, is firmly in the mix to be the first goaltender selected at the draft, and it seems the Sharks could be eyeing him as a potential goalie of the future. The Sharks did not sign 2021 81st overall pick Benjamin Gaudreau to an entry-level contract and may enter this offseason with a priority placed on improving the quality of their goaltending prospect pipeline.
Share 0 Retweet 0 Send via email

Montreal Canadiens| San Jose Sharks Connor Bedard| Matvei Michkov| Michael Hrabal| Will Smith

Ottawa Senators Have Expressed Interest In Scott Laughton
Main
Snapshots: Fantilli, Viel, Bayreuther
View Comments (8)

Comments

  1. Steve Rogers

    2 years ago

    My hope is the Blackhawks draft Michael Hrabal. The Blackhawks admit they don’t have a number 1 goalie. Thanks for the information and I would draft Will Smith over Leo Carlsson.

    Reply
  2. KRB

    2 years ago

    Washington won’t let Michkov slip past eighth. C’mon, is this kid not gonna want a chance to play with Ovechkin? Ovi’s contract expires when Michkov’s deal is done, but Ovi’d probably stick around another year.

    1
    Reply
  3. DarkSide830

    2 years ago

    Flyers need top of the line talent. Don’t overthink it -Michkov’s worth the risk.

    Reply
    • Nha Trang

      2 years ago

      A first rounder’s a crap shoot no matter what, and someone they can’t have for three more years makes it worse. The Flyers can’t afford someone who never shows.

      Reply
  4. wreckage

    2 years ago

    Of the top 10, I could see Arizona or Detroit taking a chance on Michkov, maybe Phili if they decide to tear it down and do a long rebuild. No one else screams of patience in the top 10. I think Ana, Mtl, and SJ plan to exit their rebuild before he is NHL eligible. And CBJ, WAS, and STL plan on being competitive and need a now player. Add Vancouver (11th oa) to that last group. Michkov could be Arizona’s 2nd pick IMO. Someone they can bury and train and watch for a few years and then try to bring over. Michkov @ 12 or 14 makes the most sense to me.

    Reply
    • Priceisright

      2 years ago

      What makes the most sense is for the habs to buy the coyotes. lol

      Reply
    • Darryl Rose

      2 years ago

      I think they’d prefer to spend that $100,000 elsewhere.

      1
      Reply
    • Adios pelota!

      2 years ago

      I’d put SJ in the mix, cap situation is getting better but, won’t fully be fixed for a few years yet. In the meantime draft Michkov, and continue a rebuild and try to get a good pick next year since they’ll be right back in the lottery. In the 3 years they could be ready to compete with other draft picks and Michkov ready to come to America/Canada

      1
      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Please login to leave a reply.

Log in Register

    Top Stories

    Maple Leafs Hire Derek Lalonde As Assistant Coach

    Avalanche’s Logan O’Connor Out 5-6 Months Following Hip Surgery

    Lightning Hire Dan Hinote As Assistant Coach

    Stars Fire Pete DeBoer

    Rangers Hire David Quinn, Joe Sacco As Assistant Coaches

    Bruins Name Marco Sturm Head Coach

    Re-Signing Luke Hughes Top Priority For Devils Off-Season

    Penguins Name Dan Muse Head Coach

    Avalanche Sign Brock Nelson To Three-Year Extension

    Nikita Kucherov Wins Ted Lindsay Award

    Recent

    Free Agent Focus: Montreal Canadiens

    East Notes: Duclair, Marner, Marchand

    Free Agent Focus: Minnesota Wild

    Contract Negotiations Begin Between Blue Jackets, Daniil Tarasov

    New York Rangers Expected To Have Busy Offseason

    Senators Not Planning To Use Full Amount Of Cap Space This Summer

    Oilers Working On Extension With Trent Frederic

    Metropolitan Notes: Shabanov, Gill, Boilard

    Offseason Checklist: Minnesota Wild

    Oilers Sign Viljami Marjala

    Rumors By Team

    Rumors By Team

    • Avalanche Rumors
    • Blackhawks Rumors
    • Blue Jackets Rumors
    • Blues Rumors
    • Bruins Rumors
    • Canadiens Rumors
    • Canucks Rumors
    • Capitals Rumors
    • Devils Rumors
    • Ducks Rumors
    • Flames Rumors
    • Flyers Rumors
    • Golden Knights Rumors
    • Hurricanes Rumors
    • Islanders Rumors
    • Jets Rumors
    • Kings Rumors
    • Kraken Rumors
    • Lightning Rumors
    • Mammoth Rumors
    • Maple Leafs Rumors
    • Oilers Rumors
    • Panthers Rumors
    • Penguins Rumors
    • Predators Rumors
    • Rangers Rumors
    • Red Wings Rumors
    • Sabres Rumors
    • Senators Rumors
    • Sharks Rumors
    • Stars Rumors
    • Wild Rumors

    Latest Rumors & News

    Latest Rumors & News

    • Brock Boeser Rumors
    • Scott Laughton Rumors
    • Brock Nelson Rumors
    • Rickard Rakell Rumors
    • Mikko Rantanen Rumors

    Pro Hockey Rumors Features

    Pro Hockey Rumors Features

    • Support Pro Hockey Rumors And Go Ad-Free
    • 2024-25 Salary Cap Deep Dive Series
    • 2025 NHL Free Agent List
    • 2026 NHL Free Agent List
    • Active Roster Tracker
    • Arbitration-Eligible Free Agents 2025
    • Coaching Staff Directory
    • Draft Order 2025
    • Trade Tracker
    • Pro Hockey Rumors On X
    • Pro Hockey Rumors Polls
    • Waiver Claims 2024-25

     

     

     

    Navigation

    • Sitemap
    • Archives

    PHR Info

    • About
    • Privacy Policy
    • Commenting Policy

    Connect

    • Contact Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • RSS Feed

    Pro Hockey Rumors is not affiliated with National Hockey League, NHL or NHL.com

    scroll to top

    Register

    Desktop Version | Switch To Mobile Version