Former NHL scout buries 1st round pick Matvei Michkov.

One of the hot topics at the 2023 National Hockey League Entry Draft this summer surrounded the availability of 18 year old Russian prospect Matvei Michkov. There was never any question about whether or not Michkov would be drafted, but there was plenty of debate regarding how high, or how low, he would go.

In the end we know that he was selected in the first round (7th overall) by the Philadelphia Flyers, an indication that the Flyers believe he can develop into a solid NHLer some day. While the Flyers may believe that Michkov will deliver on his promise, a former NHL scout has now made a very bold prediction regarding the young Russian, and a rather unfavorable one at that.

On a recent episode of The Stick Podcast, a former scout for the Montreal Canadiens, one Grant McCagg, detailed how he believes Michkov could develop into a total flop for the Flyers.

"I honestly think he could be the next Yakupov," said McCagg much to the shock of the hosts. "He doesn't blow me away... he's not super fast, he's not big, I wouldn't call him a gritty player. He's gonna have problems dealing with the NHL, in the playoffs especially."

It's worth noting that McCagg did originally have Michkov ranked fairly high on his mock-draft list, but it would seem that his opinion on the young Russian has rapidly changed.

"I just don't picture this guy being an impact NHL playoff player," added McCagg.

Although McCagg made no mention of this directly, you have to wonder if the fact that his former team passed on Michkov could have influenced his change of heart.

"The teams didn't just pass on him because they had character concerns," said McCagg. "I've talked to alot of scouts."

Matvei Michkov is still just 18 years old, so he will have plenty of time and opportunity to prove his doubters wrong.