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Matvei Michkov

Poll: Who Is The Early Favorite For The 2025 Calder Trophy?

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The hockey world is in for a treat with the 2024-25 rookie class. A long list of top prospects seem destined for NHL roles, including former high-end draft picks and controversial prospects. Their pursuit of meaningful NHL ice time will be undercut by what’s sure to be an exciting race for the 2025 Calder Trophy. The NHL’s ’Rookie of the Year’ award stands as perhaps the most coveted and exclusive award in the league, having previously gone to franchise-defining talents like Connor Bedard this year, Kirill Kaprizov in 2021, and Cale Makar in 2020. With such a star-studded cast of contenders this year, the winner may have to reach the heights of that trio to win over voters.

That could prove an easy feat for the pair of Macklin Celebrini and Matvei Michkov – likely the leading favorites as things currently stand. Celebrini was the first overall selection in the 2024 NHL Draft and is coming off a dazzling junior hockey career. After winning both the USHL’s ’Rookie of the Year’ and ’Most Valuable Player’ awards as a 16-year-old in 2022-23, Celebrini became the youngest player to ever win the Hobey Baker Award as college hockey’s top player this season. His prowess is undeniable. He’s a defiantly special playmaker, with all of the tools needed to match top speeds. Celebrini is set for a top-line role with the San Jose Sharks, while Michkov will fight for the same recognition from the Philadelphia Flyers.

Michkov is making the jump to the NHL a year earlier than expected, after being released from his contract with the KHL’s SKA St. Petersburg this summer. He makes the move to North America after proudly leading HK Sochi. Despite playing on a farm club to SKA, Michkov has still managed 61 points in 77 KHL games over the last two seasons. His 41 points in 47 games this year marked the most of any U20 KHL skater since Kaprizov, the record holder, potted 42 points in 49 games in 2017. Where Celebrini is a quick-thinking and quicker-moving playmaker, Michkov is an all-skill scorer, capable of using a mix of incredibly agile skating, great stickhandling, and a knockout shot to embarrass opponents in the offensive end. The sky is the limit for the Russian phenom, who should finally receive proper support after spending the last two seasons on muddling rosters.

Celebrini and Michkov will be challenged for their spot by a long list of high-end forwards, including Will Smith – who could find himself playing second-fiddle to Celebrini in San Jose. Anaheim Ducks center Cutter Gauthier could also break into the conversation – undermining yet another boost to the Flyers’ prospect pool. But of the many contenders, it’s the dynamic duo of Logan Stankoven and Mavrik Bourque who seem most overlooked in early Calder talks.

Stankoven was a lightning bolt in his first taste of the NHL. The first-year pro fought his way to an NHL call-up with a then-league-leading 57 points in his first 47 AHL games. The scoring didn’t stop in Dallas, as Stankoven proceeded to score 14 points in 24 games – the highest scoring pace (0.58) of any first-year Star since Jason Robertson in 2021 (0.88) and John Klingberg in 2015 (0.58). Stankoven was just one game shy of losing rookie eligibility when Dallas’ season ended, though he was quickly slotted back into the lineup during the playoffs – which don’t count against Calder Trophy eligibility. He continued to hone his game in the race for the Stanley Cup, netting eight points in 19 games and earning a routine role in Dallas’ middle-six.

If not Stankoven, then it’ll be his electric centerman Bourque who wins the title for Dallas. The two forwards were unstoppable with the AHL’s Texas Stars last season, playing with a pace and chemistry that opponents simply couldn’t keep up with. Bourque stayed red-hot even after Stankoven’s call-up, ultimately leading the AHL in scoring with 77 points in 71 games and earning the Les Cunningham Award as the league’s MVP. That was despite last season being just the second pro year of Bourque’s career. He was impressive, and found a way to score consistently despite his oft-criticized frame.

Even with all of the acclaim of the aforementioned forwards, the award could still find its way to other hands. Shakir Mukhamadullin in San Jose, Lane Hutson in Montreal, and Olen Zellweger in Anaheim are all prime candidates from the blue-line, while Dustin Wolf in Calgary and Yaroslav Askarov in Nashville stand as favorites in net – though the latter will have to fight his way above Juuse Saros. It seems the Calder Trophy debate could go in one of countless directions when the first puck is finally dropped – but who do you think will win out? Will it be dazzling star prospects Celebrini or Michkov? Will defensive supports overtake the top scorers? Or will a player like Brad Lambert subvert everyone’s expectations? Let us know by voting in the poll below and discussing in the comments!

Who Will Win The 2025 Calder Trophy?
Matvei Michkov, Philadelphia 45.36% (450 votes)
Macklin Celebrini, San Jose 28.43% (282 votes)
Lane Hutson, Montreal 8.47% (84 votes)
Cutter Gauthier, Anaheim 7.76% (77 votes)
Will Smith, San Jose 6.05% (60 votes)
Olen Zellweger, Anaheim 2.02% (20 votes)
Shakir Mukhamadullin, San Jose 1.92% (19 votes)
Total Votes: 992

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Metro Notes: Hayes, Michkov, Devils

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Wes Crosby writes on NHL.com that newly acquired Pittsburgh Penguins forward Kevin Hayes has something to prove with his new team. Hayes was traded for the second consecutive summer, this time from the St. Louis Blues to the Penguins, as he plays out the final two seasons of the seven-year $50MM contract that he signed with the Philadelphia Flyers on June 18th, 2019.

The Flyers traded Hayes to the Blues last summer for a sixth-round pick and retained 50% of his cap hit, and the Blues dealt Hayes to Pittsburgh on July 1st along with a second-round pick in a salary cap dump. Penguins’ general manager Kyle Dubas has said that the Penguins expect Hayes to start the season at center, and given the Penguins’ depth, he will likely start on the third line. Hayes is coming off back-to-back disappointing seasons and posted a career-low 13 goals and 16 assists in 79 games last season.

Hayes told NHL.com that he is feeling inspired as he heads into his first season in Pittsburgh and believes that he needs to develop more of a shoot-first mentality to fit in with the team.

In other Metropolitan Division Notes:

  • Philadelphia Flyers top prospect Matvei Michkov has officially landed with the team after a 22-hour flight to the United States (team tweet). The 2023 seventh overall pick was greeted at the airport by Flyers general manager Danny Briere and president of hockey operations Keith Jones and wanted to get on the ice immediately but wasn’t able to. The 19-year-old forward signed his ELC three weeks ago and his arrival to Philadelphia comes much earlier than had been anticipated. Many believed it would be another two years before Michkov would play in North America, but with his release from SKA St. Petersburg a month ago, it cleared the way for him to make the move to the NHL.
  • James Nichols of NJ Hockey Now is reporting that the New Jersey Devils have invited defenseman Igor Mburanumwe to training camp this fall. Mburanumwe stands an imposing 6’5” tall and weighs 206 pounds. The 20-year-old spent most of his QMJHL career with the Victoriaville Tigres but was traded to the Acadie-Bathhurst Titan early last season and finished his junior career with the team. The Chambly, Quebec native doesn’t offer much offensively, having posted just nine goals and 29 assists in 188 QMJHL games, however, 20 of those points came last season in just 57 games with the Titan.

Minor Free Agent Signings: Metropolitan Division

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With over 180 deals signed during the first day of free agency yesterday, some smaller names may have gotten lost in the shuffle. Here’s a list of names that have inked two-way deals with Metropolitan Division clubs since the market opened yesterday, per CapFriendly. Some of these may have been included in our main coverage yesterday, while others went under the radar. All contracts carry the league-minimum $775K cap hit unless stated otherwise). Those listed here are likely to begin 2024-25 with each team’s AHL affiliate.

Carolina Hurricanes

none

Columbus Blue Jackets

D Cole Clayton (one year, $950K entry-level cap hit)
F Owen Sillinger (one year)

New Jersey Devils

F Mike Hardman (two years)
D Colton White (two years)

New York Islanders

none

New York Rangers

none

Philadelphia Flyers

none

Pittsburgh Penguins

D Nathan Clurman (one year)
D Mac Hollowell (one year)
F Jimmy Huntington (one year)
F Bokondji Imama (one year)
D Ryan Shea (one year)

Washington Capitals

G Mitchell Gibson (one year)
D Chase Priskie (one year)

Flyers Sign Matvei Michkov To Entry-Level Contract

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The Flyers have signed top right wing prospect Matvei Michkov to his three-year, entry-level contract, the team announced. The seventh overall pick in last year’s draft had recently been released from his contract overseas with Russia’s SKA St. Petersburg ahead of schedule.

Michkov has faced a long string of rumors since his draft day, with many teams concerned that he may face challenges getting out of his contract with the KHL’s SKA St. Petersburg, which was set to run through the 2025-26 season. But SKA decided to terminate Michkov’s contract early, with SKA chariman Alexander Medvedev citing Michkov’s dream to play in the NHL and recent personal loss as primary reasons for the buyout. With his entry-level contract signed and an invite to Philadelphia’s development camp, it seems there are now no barriers to Michkov pursuing the NHL.

Michkov will move to North America as perhaps the top prospect in the NHL, after serving as the star power for the KHL’s HK Sochi over the last two seasons. Sochi is an affiliate of SKA and often used to loan out additional contracts, without pulling players out of the KHL. That gives them one of the league’s weaker teams year-over-year, but Michkov didn’t seem daunted by his company – totaling nine goals and 20 points in 27 games last year, and then 19 goals and 41 points in 47 games this year. That scoring comes out to 0.74 and 0.85 points per game respectively – ranked eigth and second among all U21 seasons in KHL history, despite Michkov not turning 20 until December. He’s a dynamic, highly aware player with the hands to stickhandle in a phone booth and the confidence to take on and beat any defenders head-on, regardless of whether they’re his own age or hardened KHL vets. His shot has also gained notoriety, with Michkov pulling off Connor Bedard-esque wrist shots – lightning quick and not needing much room – though Michkov doesn’t have nearly the same power or snap that will make Bedard’s shot legendary.

Regardless, Michkov is a star prospect, once considered the only player capable of beating out Bedard for 2023’s first overall spot. That hype changed as their draft seasons approached, with hotly debated rumors and a move to Sochi helping Philadelphia land Michkov at seventh-overall. He’ll quickly get to prove his doubters wrong, set up for what should be a smash year with the Flyers. The extent of Michkov’s talent won’t be clear until Philadelphia’s development and training camps, but all signs point towards him being capable of a top-line role, after averaging 17:12 in ice tie in the KHL this year. Should that be where Michkov lands, he’ll be in direct competition with Owen Tippett, Travis Konecny, and Joel Farabee for minutes. Michkov is helped along by a natural ability to play either wing, though he’ll still have to proudly earn his ice time; juxtaposed by three 50-point scorers. If Michkov is the superstar he’s claimed to be – a thought that truly seems hard to doubt – he should have no challenge carving out a role, and should immediately join a Calder Trophy debate that’s also expected to feature Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith, Logan Stankoven, and Cutter Gauthier, among a long list of talented prospects getting their shot.

Matvei Michkov Released By SKA St. Petersburg

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June 25, 11:07 a.m.: Michkov has had his contract with SKA St. Petersburg officially terminated and the Flyers have been informed of the development, Brière said in a statement Tuesday. “We are certainly excited to learn of this news and look forward to reconnecting with Matvei’s representatives in the coming days,” Brière said. He’s not under contract with the Flyers yet but he should be in the coming days.

June 23, 3:00 p.m.: Updated reports from Kevin Kurz and Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic have shared that there is a chance Michkov could be involved in the team’s development camp next week (Twitter link).

June 23, 11:00 a.m.: In a report from Hockey News Hub and later confirmed by Anthony Di Marco of The Fourth Period and Kevin Kurz of The Athletic, Philadelphia Flyers’ prospect Matvei Michkov is expected to terminate his contract with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL to join the Flyers for the 2024-25 NHL season. Di Marco later reported that Michkov will be represented by CAA in North America who also represents Cameron York, Nick Seeler, and Ivan Fedotov in the Flyers’ organization.

The news of Michkov’s arrival in Philadelphia ends a year-long story that began shortly before the 2023 NHL Draft. Viewed by many as one of the top talents not named Connor Bedard in last year’s draft, Michkov fell to seventh overall as many teams grew afraid he may take years to make it to North America due to his contractual obligations in the KHL. Being that hindsight is 20/20, the Flyers will have had to wait only one year to see Michkov join the organization as General Manager Daniel Briere’s big gamble appears to have paid off.

Frank Seravalli of Daily Faceoff reports that the situation is still fluid regarding Michkov, but the expectation is that he will be with the Flyers organization when the 2024-25 season opens up. With plenty of doubts about his eventual arrival in Philadelphia, the team must first sign the young Russian prospect to his entry-level contract. Regardless of the logistical steps forward, the Flyers will be adding one of the best young prospects in the world to their organization.

In his season after the 2023 NHL Draft, Michkov played primarily on loan for HK Sochi of the KHL, becoming a complete offensive package for the organization. In 47 games played Michkov potted 19 goals while assisting on 22 more. Michkov finished 40th in the league in scoring but it was far and away the most by any player under 20.

Michkov’s creativity and play with the puck is reminiscent of Russian forward Pavel Datsyuk throughout his tenure with the Detroit Red Wings. Additionally, Michkov has a keen ability to find the back of the net and a very mature hockey IQ. It will be interesting to see if Michkov can keep up with the defensive expectations brought by head coach John Tortorella in Philadelphia, but he should be one of the team’s premier offensive players in due time.

East Notes: Senators, Flyers, Capitals

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Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia wrote today that the Ottawa Senators have been linked to Anaheim Ducks netminder John Gibson. He didn’t go into much detail about the link, but it’s not the first time there has been mention of a link between Gibson and the Senators. Ottawa has been pushing hard to improve their netminding and has held talks on Boston Bruins goaltender Linus Ullmark since before the NHL trade deadline.

The Senators are desperate to improve their goaltending which has been a disaster since Craig Anderson left town in 2020. The 30-year-old Gibson hasn’t been a strong netminder for years but has been paid like one and still has three years left on his deal at an AAV of $6.4MM. It seems unlikely Ottawa will pursue Gibson at his current price point; however, they could entertain him if they can’t make a deal with the Bruins for Ullmark or if Anaheim is willing to retain some of Gibson’s cap hit.

In other Eastern Conference notes:

  • Anthony Di Marco of The Fourth Period tweeted that he believes that forward Matvei Michkov’s arrival to the Philadelphia Flyers will give the team a bit of leverage in their contract negotiations with right winger Travis Konecny. The Flyers have a difficult decision looming with Konecny, as the 27-year-old is just a year out from unrestricted free agency and there have been rumblings that he is seeking $10MM annually on his next deal. With Michkov likely on his way to Philadelphia, the Flyers could see him as a Konecny replacement, and possibly pivot to an exploration of the trade market for Konecny.
  • The Washington Capitals recently swapped goaltender Darcy Kuemper for forward Pierre-Luc Dubois but are apparently not close to done re-shaping their roster (per Elliotte Friedman on 32 Thoughts). The Capitals have some in-house free agents to take care of but will be able to bring everyone back if they want to. The team badly needs to address their offense, and while Dubois should help in that regard, he can’t be the only piece they add if they hope to improve upfront. Washington scored just 220 goals last season, good enough for 28 out of 32 teams and can no longer rely on their power play to carry them.

Matvei Michkov Expected To Terminate KHL Contract, Join Flyers

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Russian phenom Matvei Michkov is expected to terminate his KHL contract and continue his career with the Philadelphia Flyers next season, per Russia’s Sport-Express. Sport-Express adds that SKA St. Petersburg will retain Michkov’s exclusive KHL rights until 2026.

This news seems to be first step towards Philadelphia landing one of their biggest prospects in recent memory. Michkov has become a sensation in Russia, coming off a season where he recorded 41 points in 48 games with the KHL’s HK Sochi – the second-most any U20 player has scored in the KHL, behind Kirill Kaprizov’s 42-point season in 2016-17. That’s the type of company Michkov’s scoring has always earned him, similarly posting the highest KHL points-per-game from a U19 player during his time with Sochi last season, ranking ahead of Eeli Tolvanen, Evgeny Kuznetsov, and Vladimir Tarasenko.

Michkov has managed the strong scoring despite playing on one of the KHL’s weakest teams. HK Sochi, who operate as a feeder team for SKA, have won just 28 of their 136 games over the last two seasons, even despite Michkov raising their average goals-per-game from 2.01 to 2.47 during his time there. The meager setting served both pros and cons, allowing Michkov to emerge as a KHL team’s star but also providing him with little support. He made up for modest deployment when he was younger by absolutely dominating on the international stage. Michkov recorded 12 goals and 16 points in seven games at the 2021 World U-18 Championship – leading the tournament in scoring ahead of both Shane Wright and Connor Bedard. The tally also ranked him behind just Gavin McKenna, Alex Ovechkin, and Mikhail Grigorenko for the most a U17 player has ever scored at the event. Russia was banned from international events in the following season, limiting Michkov to friendly matches with the country’s Men’s team over the last two years.

A move out of Russia should bring Michkov much more team success, especially if it’s a move to the playoff-hopeful Flyers. He’s a phenomenal player, boasting a control of the puck and ability to cut through lanes that simply seems special. Combined with a hard-nosed drive towards the net and a nifty shot, Michkov has all of the traits of a bona fide scorer. He’s proven that at every level in Russia, but now faces his biggest challenge yet in moving to the NHL. How the Flyers support their star prospect, and just how high Michkov’s ceiling can go with that support, will be among the most exciting questions as the 2024-25 seaosn rolls around.

Matvei Michkov May Sign With Flyers Before End Of KHL Contract

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Heading into the 2022-23 season, Russian winger Matvei Michkov was the slam-dunk second-best prospect available in the 2023 draft behind eventual Blackhawks first-overall pick Connor Bedard. Fast forward to draft day, though, and Michkov was still available with the Flyers’ pick at seventh overall. There were a couple of reasons for this – Leo Carlsson and Adam Fantilli had their draft stocks rise throughout the year thanks to spectacular campaigns, earning them second and third overall billing. Michkov had a slow start to the year, marred by injury and inconsistent playing time with his KHL club, SKA St. Petersburg.

SKA loaned Michkov out to bottom-feeder HK Sochi midway through the season, though, where he erupted for 20 points in the final 27 games of the season. That repaired his stock somewhat, but there were concerns about how long a team would have to wait to see Michkov in their lineup. He’s under contract with SKA through the 2025-26 campaign, and without a transfer agreement between the NHL and KHL, there’s no way for the Flyers to buy him out of his deal if it isn’t a mutual decision.

It turns out that may not be a concern after all. Speaking with matchtv.ru, SKA chairman Alexander Medvedev said that the club has good relations with the Flyers front office and will consider letting Michkov depart for the NHL before his contract ends (translated by PHLY Sports’ Alexander Appleyard). Medvedev confirmed that if SKA opts to release him, the Flyers want Michkov in the NHL as soon as next season.

SKA will make a call on whether to retain Michkov for at least next season by the end of June, Medvedev said. Even if Michkov can’t/doesn’t make the jump to North America this summer, the club might still let him transfer to Philadelphia in the 2025 offseason with one year left on his contract with SKA.

Michkov, 19, led all KHL junior players in points this season with 41 in 48 games played, all but one coming on his second consecutive loan to Sochi. He led the team in points per game and led them outright in goals, scoring 19 times in 47 games. Their leading scorer, 27-year-old winger Artur Tyanulin, had 17 goals and 45 points in 63 games. That solidifies him as the Flyers’ bonafide number-one prospect and one of the best U-20 players in the world.

Signing Michkov this summer would allow him to first reach restricted free agency in 2027. If he plays for the Flyers next season, he’d likely slot into a middle-six right wing role out of the gate, creating competition for other youngsters like Bobby Brink and veterans like Cam Atkinson.

International Check-In: Lindbom, Lekkerimaki, KHL Scoring Leaders, Michkov

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Top international leagues such as those in Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, and Russia often play a crucial role in NHL player development, but many of those storylines don’t get much coverage outside of teams’ local media. PHR is aiming to change that by shining a light this season on some notable stats and trends concerning NHL-affiliated talent suiting up overseas this season, keeping tabs on some potential future stars.

Vegas Golden Knights 2021 seventh-round pick Carl Lindbom has seen a sharp rise in stock since draft day, and his start to the 2023-24 campaign can only be described as meteoric. The 20-year-old netminder is on loan from Vegas to SHL club Färjestad BK this season after signing his entry-level contract earlier in the summer, and he’s stolen the starting role from overseas veteran (and former Golden Knight) Maxime Lagace thanks to a strong pre-season showing, posting a 2-0-0 record and .936 save percentage in two Champions Hockey League tournament appearances earlier this month. That translated into Lindbom getting the start for Färjestad in their first two games of the SHL league calendar, conceding just one goal in each of their games against Växjö and Skellefteå en route to a 2-0 start to the season with a .952 save percentage to back things up.

Sticking in Sweden, many watchful eyes will be on Vancouver Canucks 2022 first-round pick Jonathan Lekkerimäki after an inconsistent 2022-23 campaign. He’s on loan from Vancouver to the SHL’s Örebro HK this year after spending last season in the second-tier Allsvenskan, and he looks like he’s fitting right in to start the year. Assuming a top-six role out of the gate, the right winger has two goals through his first two outings, both coming on the power play.

Moving over to Russia, it’s been a strong start to the season for three players with NHL ties: Nikita Gusev, Ivan Morozov and Nikolay Goldobin, who currently occupy the top three on the KHL’s points leaderboard. Gusev, who remains under contract with Dynamo Moscow through this season, is averaging nearly 20 minutes per game and leads the league with 11 points through seven games, helping the squad to a 5-2-0 start. After a disappointing end to his NHL tenure with the New Jersey Devils and Florida Panthers in 2020-21, the 31-year-old could be looking at an NHL comeback next summer after what looks to be three strong campaigns in his home country.

Morozov was the Golden Knights’ second-round pick in 2018, and they’ve loaned him out to Spartak Moscow for this season after an underwhelming performance with AHL Henderson last season, in which he netted just 17 points in 58 games. He’s got three goals and ten points through seven games to start the season, however, including a three-assist performance in Spartak’s season-opening loss against Kunlun Red Star.

Rumors have also swirled about a potential NHL return for the 27-year-old Goldobin in recent months, but nothing came to fruition this offseason. He obviously hasn’t let that affect his play, recording eight goals through seven games for Spartak to lead the KHL. His last full NHL season came in 2018-19 with the Vancouver Canucks.

Finally, things are looking up once again for future Philadelphia Flyers star Matvei Michkov after KHL powerhouse SKA St. Petersburg loaned him out to bottom-dweller HK Sochi for the consecutive season. After playing a combined 6:12 through SKA’s first four games of the campaign, Michkov has assumed a top-six role once again in Sochi and is delivering the goods with two assists and a combined 12 shots on goal through his first two games, helping Sochi win back-to-back games. Their record is 3-3-1 through the first seven games of the season after winning just nine games throughout all of the 2022-23 campaign.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Matvei Michkov Expected To Be Loaned Within KHL

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KHL club SKA St. Petersburg is once again loaning Philadelphia Flyers top prospect Matvei Michkov to league rival HK Sochi, according to multiple reports out of Russia. St. Petersburg loaned Michkov to the basement-dwelling club near the beginning of last season as well.

The Flyers’ seventh-overall pick in 2023 has skated just 6:12 this season, only playing in one out of St. Petersburg’s four games to begin the 2023-24 KHL season. SKA has also effectively benched another young talent, Minnesota Wild prospect Marat Khusnutdinov, despite recording 41 points in 63 games for them last year.

The move returns Michkov to a club where he should immediately play a top-line role. As an 18-year-old, Michkov recorded 20 points in 27 games for Sochi in 2022-23, leading the team in points per game by far. Sochi has dropped three of their first four games, with their lone win coming from a massive 3-1 upset over 2023 Gagarin Cup finalist Ak Bars Kazan.

This is undoubtedly positive news for Michkov’s development (and the Flyers’ brass), returning him to a role where he can actually get playing time. He’s still under contract with SKA through the 2025-26 season, though, and this song and dance without having control over where Michkov plays is likely what some teams were looking to avoid by passing on him throughout the top five of the 2023 draft.

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