Michkov may be here this summer

[OccamsRazor]

5 minutes ago, flyercanuck said:

Konecny to Ottawa for their 7th...Farabee and Laughton to Buffalo for their 11th...could set us up pretty nicely for Michkovs prime years.

 

I agree on all.

 

I love Konecny but i want a Cup more.

[OccamsRazor]

Hhhhhmmmm... seen this today...

 

"The Hurricanes have expressed interest in Philly’s Travis Konecny, and while the Flyers have shown interest in Martin Necas, it doesn’t sound like there’s a pathway to a deal right now."

[SCFlyguy]

53 minutes ago, OccamsRazor said:

 

They still have to deal with Cam Atkinson and sign all the RFAs.

The great part is they don’t have to deal with Cam Atkinson, other than playing him on the second line and PP2 and watch our draft position rise.

[flyercanuck]

1 hour ago, OccamsRazor said:

Hhhhhmmmm... seen this today...

 

"The Hurricanes have expressed interest in Philly’s Travis Konecny, and while the Flyers have shown interest in Martin Necas, it doesn’t sound like there’s a pathway to a deal right now."

 

I'd much much much rather have the 7th pick in this draft. If possible.

[GratefulFlyers]

They'd have to do a lot better than Necas imho if they want Konecny.

 

As far as trading TK to acquire more 1R picks in this year's draft...I thought most agreed next year's is deeper. I know Konecny needs a new contract but unless it's obscene that shouldn't hurt his value. If it's seen as "reasonable" it could even help his value. So maybe wait and trade TK at the TD...?

 

[flyercanuck]

59 minutes ago, GratefulFlyers said:

They'd have to do a lot better than Necas imho if they want Konecny.

 

As far as trading TK to acquire more 1R picks in this year's draft...I thought most agreed next year's is deeper. I know Konecny needs a new contract but unless it's obscene that shouldn't hurt his value. If it's seen as "reasonable" it could even help his value. So maybe wait and trade TK at the TD...?

 

 

I'm not opposed to that, other than keeping Konecny likely keeps us closer to "maybe a playoff team" which, lets face it, in the long run isn't helping us in the draft a ton.

[ruxpin]

1 hour ago, GratefulFlyers said:

They'd have to do a lot better than Necas imho if they want Konecny.

 

As far as trading TK to acquire more 1R picks in this year's draft...I thought most agreed next year's is deeper. I know Konecny needs a new contract but unless it's obscene that shouldn't hurt his value. If it's seen as "reasonable" it could even help his value. So maybe wait and trade TK at the TD...?

 

I'm okay trading TK now for next year's draft pick, especially if it's someone likely to have a lottery pick.  That's hard to predict, of course.

 

But for 2024-25, if you trade TK now it may force usage of Atkinson, which only helps our own draft pick.  By the way, I like Necas (a lot) but agree there has to be more.

[ruxpin]

1 minute ago, flyercanuck said:

 

I'm not opposed to that, other than keeping Konecny likely keeps us closer to "maybe a playoff team" which, lets face it, in the long run isn't helping us in the draft a ton.

 

Not only that, but the value for Konecny could go down some with teams knowing we're against a ticking clock.

[BobbyClarkeFan16]

7 minutes ago, flyercanuck said:

 

I'm not opposed to that, other than keeping Konecny likely keeps us closer to "maybe a playoff team" which, lets face it, in the long run isn't helping us in the draft a ton.

Here's the thing with Konecny. If you're trading him at the deadline, you're trading him to a contender, a strong contender. Most of those contenders don't have a deep prospect pool or the first round pick they have is going to be late in the draft. At least if Konecny is traded now, you can set up the team so that he's going somewhere where they have a good prospect pool and maybe their first is between 20 and 25. Top 15/17 picks are probably out of the question and they'll probably want to do him a solid and send him to a viable contender who's window is opening. 

[flyercanuck]

59 minutes ago, BobbyClarkeFan16 said:

Here's the thing with Konecny. If you're trading him at the deadline, you're trading him to a contender, a strong contender. Most of those contenders don't have a deep prospect pool or the first round pick they have is going to be late in the draft. At least if Konecny is traded now, you can set up the team so that he's going somewhere where they have a good prospect pool and maybe their first is between 20 and 25. Top 15/17 picks are probably out of the question and they'll probably want to do him a solid and send him to a viable contender who's window is opening. 

 

Ya, that's pretty much what I was getting at with the later draft picks not really being game changers.

 

I don't think I'm the only person who can see if Konecny played with a real top line centre and winger that his numbers would go up noticeably. Not to mention he brings more to the table than just points. I think he's well worth a lower top ten pick in a draft like this one. Maybe we add a 3rd or something.

[ctid]

Very interesting read from The Athletic on How the Flyers got Michkov...

 

Prior to the 2023 NHL draft, Matvei Michkov already had earned a solid on-ice reputation among the amateur scouting staff of the Philadelphia Flyers. They saw him excel at the 2021 under-18 tournament in Dallas, Texas, where he played against Connor Bedard, and got another look at him in the 2021 Hlinka-Gretzky Cup in Czechia and Slovakia, where he set a scoring record in that international tournament with 13 points (nine goals, four assists) in five games in Russia’s victory.

 

Of course, little did the scouts or then-future general manager Daniel Briere, then still in the player development department, know that Michkov eventually would join their organization and become perhaps the team’s most hyped rookie since Eric Lindros in 1992. Nothing has been made official yet, but the expectation, according to a Flyers team source, is that Michkov will terminate the final two seasons of his KHL contract, freeing him up to join the Flyers for the 2024-25 season.

 

The fact that Michkov was available to the Flyers with the No. 7 selection in the 2023 draft was a stroke of luck that could alter the face of the organization for years to come.

 

In the lead-up to that draft, the Flyers’ staff had ranked Michkov as the second-best talent behind only Bedard, who likely will win the Calder Trophy this week as the league’s top rookie. But when Briere officially took over as the general manager on May 11, 2023, there wasn’t much of an expectation that the club would get the chance to draft the talented winger.

 

They knew there were rumblings that Michkov could fall, though. Michkov’s KHL contract had three more years to go, while the geopolitics stemming from Russia’s war with Ukraine made drafting Michkov a riskier proposition than many NHL teams might be willing to take. Further, the 2023 draft was thought by many to be loaded, with players such as Adam Fantilli and Leo Carlsson also in the discussion for best player available after Bedard.

 

That meant Michkov could very well fall to No. 4 or No. 5 — but still ahead of where the Flyers sat. They still knew it was a long shot.

 

But then, in June, Michkov’s agent, Maxim Moliver, reached out to the Flyers organization. As it turned out, Michkov was spending some downtime ahead of the draft in New York City, and he wanted to meet with the Flyers before the draft at the end of that month. The Flyers, of course, were receptive. They were the only team that Michkov offered to meet with before arriving in Nashville (although that may have been partly influenced by Philadelphia’s proximity to Manhattan).

 

Michkov travelled via train to meet with a small group of Flyers executives at their training facility in Voorhees, N.J, including Briere. They showed him the upstairs offices, the training facilities, the various displays in the hallways and, of course, the dressing room.

 

Michkov left an impression with his personality, despite needing a translator. He couldn’t wipe the huge smile off of his face. And the Flyers were left impressed by what seemed to be Michkov’s ample knowledge of the team’s rich history. Michkov rattled off names such as Bobby Clarke and Bill Barber, and repeated over and over again that he would love to be a Flyer.

 

Briere and the others figured Michkov’s awareness of the Flyers came from his father, Andrei, who died a little more than two months earlier. The Flyers have a unique history with Russia, including the infamous Red Army game at the Spectrum in 1976, and Clarke’s various run-ins with Russians in international competitions. Further, the Flyers’ alumni took a trip to Russia in 2017, playing games in three different cities. One of those games was against SKA alumni in St. Petersburg.

 

After that initial meeting with Michkov, the feeling within the Flyers’ front office shifted to, according to one source, “OK, how do we get this guy?”

 

That feeling was only reinforced before the draft in Nashville, where Michkov met with the team again — this time with the bulk of the Flyers’ amateur scouting staff in attendance. And many of them were still skeptical of Michkov, regardless of their awareness of his tremendous on-ice talent.

 

It was at that meeting that Michkov was, as Briere put it later in his post-draft media availability in Nashville, “grilled.”

 

Why did some of the Flyers’ scouts have reservations? Along with the lengthy KHL contract likely delaying his arrival — if he was to come at all — there had been some rumblings about Michkov’s character, that perhaps he wasn’t a great teammate or felt a bit too entitled to big minutes and playing in key situations.

 

The scouts questioned Michkov’s “want, and will, and character,” according to one person in the room at the time.

 

They got the answers they wanted to hear. Michkov admitted, according to the source, that he needed to learn that not everyone was at his level. That his teammates’ inability to do certain things on the ice didn’t stem from a lack of commitment or dedication to hockey. If there were ever feelings of frustration from Michkov, they were simply born from his competitiveness. That was reinforced to the Flyers through interviews with some of Michkov’s teammates, too, that the club also spoke with in the days leading up to the draft.

 

Still, tremendous uncertainty as to how the draft would play out remained, although the Flyers made repeated attempts to trade up from No. 7. Moving disgruntled prospect Cutter Gauthier, who was eventually dealt in January, was on the table. But none of the teams above the Flyers were biting.

 

Going into the first round, the Flyers were fairly confident that after Bedard, it would be Fantilli and Carlsson rounding out the top three. But the San Jose Sharks had the No. 4 pick, followed by the Montreal Canadiens and the Arizona Coyotes. The Flyers were particularly concerned about the Canadiens.

 

Whether Michkov would make it through those teams was far from a sure thing.

 

But, he did. Briere, perhaps a bit nervous in his first draft as the man in charge, stumbled a bit with his words before eventually announcing to the crowd that “with the seventh selection of the draft, the Flyers are proud to select from St. Petersburg in the KHL, Matvei Michkov.”

 

 

 

As cameras showed Michkov, dressed in a maroon suit and matching tie, an announcer on the SportsNet broadcast in Canada said: “You have to be extremely confident in your ability to get this player over here, and is it going to be worth the risk?”

 

It seems as if Flyers will get an earlier-than-expected answer to that question.

[mojo1917]

Konecny plus what gets the Utah #6 does TK +32 do it?

 

I think this could be a thing. 

That Utah team needs to make a splash, in their new home.

Adding an all-star forward for a magic bean...and still getting a smaller magic bean? 

I mean they could do worse.

I would love to see an attempt for the Flyers to keep #12 and still move into the Dickenson, Buium range.

 

[ctid]

4 minutes ago, mojo1917 said:

Konecny plus what gets the Utah #6 does TK +32 do it?

 

I think this could be a thing. 

That Utah team needs to make a splash, in their new home.

Adding an all-star forward for a magic bean...and still getting a smaller magic bean? 

I mean they could do worse.

I would love to see an attempt for the Flyers to keep #12 and still move into the Dickenson, Buium range.

 

Agreed. Utah will look to do a statement. I just don't know if Konecny is enough of a statement for them. Marners name has been put out there for them. But keeping 12 and getting the Utah or sens pick aswell would be epic!

[flyercanuck]

24 minutes ago, mojo1917 said:

Konecny plus what gets the Utah #6 does TK +32 do it?

 

I think this could be a thing. 

That Utah team needs to make a splash, in their new home.

Adding an all-star forward for a magic bean...and still getting a smaller magic bean? 

I mean they could do worse.

I would love to see an attempt for the Flyers to keep #12 and still move into the Dickenson, Buium range.

 

 

That range could also include Lindstrom/Demidov/Catton/Iginla...it would be a nice range to get into.

[AlaskaFlyerFan]

I’m having a hard time grasping the “TK (by himself or with more) for a draft pick” thought.  You’re going to trade your best asset for an unknown.  That doesn’t sit well with me.   I can get behind trading picks for picks as long as the trade isn’t outrageous.

[flyer4ever]

6 hours ago, GratefulFlyers said:

They'd have to do a lot better than Necas imho if they want Konecny.

 

As far as trading TK to acquire more 1R picks in this year's draft...I thought most agreed next year's is deeper. I know Konecny needs a new contract but unless it's obscene that shouldn't hurt his value. If it's seen as "reasonable" it could even help his value. So maybe wait and trade TK at the TD...?

 

If they blow it up this year they will have top 5 picks in the next couple of drafts, including a shot at McKenna.

The next 72 hours will tell us the plan.

[RonJeremy]

8 hours ago, flyercanuck said:

 

As much as I like them, and Konecny, hoping they're all gone. 

 

Konecny to Ottawa for their 7th...Farabee and Laughton to Buffalo for their 11th...could set us up pretty nicely for Michkovs prime years.

With that  happening and some luck, we draft Catton or Helenius, Yakemchuck or Dickinson and Sennecke. We get a top 1 or 2 center, a top 2 dman and a power winger to replace Gauthier . That’s a massive step in a rebuild. Next year we have probably a top ten and Colorados pick and we can shore up whatever we didn’t address in this draft.

[ruxpin]

What is the possibility of Minnesota as a trade partner. I know it doesn't get us in top 10,  but is this either possible or desired?

 

Konecny, #51

Boldy, #13

 

And is that enough for Konecny? 

For Minnesota, they get their natural RW.

 

We get a younger RW who can slide to center and, of course, two swings at decent players at 12 and 13.

 

You could still package Laughton or Farabee and #12 for a better pick or flip both picks and something for top 5.

[jammer2]

8 hours ago, flyercanuck said:

 

I'd much much much rather have the 7th pick in this draft. If possible.

Just my gut feeling, but I'm thinking the 7th pick has far more upside than Necas has to offer. 

[CoachX]

1 hour ago, flyer4ever said:

If they blow it up this year they will have top 5 picks in the next couple of drafts, including a shot at McKenna.

The next 72 hours will tell us the plan.

By that time the players they’ve drafted now will be too old

[radoran]

2 hours ago, ruxpin said:

For Minnesota, they get their natural RW.

 

To go with their natural LW. And no one to pass them the puck...

 

Seems like a perfect Wild move.

 

[radoran]

1 hour ago, jammer2 said:

Just my gut feeling, but I'm thinking the 7th pick has far more upside than Necas has to offer. 

 

Necas has Voraceky vibes all over him.

[ruxpin]

1 hour ago, radoran said:

 

To go with their natural LW. And no one to pass them the puck...

 

Seems like a perfect Wild move.

 

It does, right? 

Is the 13th enough in this? They've been high on Boldy, but i think they were hoping as a center and he really hasn't latched on there 

[flyercanuck]

9 hours ago, CoachX said:

By that time the players they’ve drafted now will be too old

 

Too old? They're 2,3,4 years older.

 

You know who will be too old? The players they hang onto that are already over 25. It's going to be awhile before this team is a contender...if it happens.

 

You trade guys like Laughton/Konecny/Farabee (he's not too old, it just appears Tortorella hates him so he's likely gone) and not only do you add more chips for the future, our own draft picks become more valuable because we'll likely fall into 'difference maker" area of the draft instead of "what the Flyers use to rebuild with" area. 

Edited Thursday at 09:32 AM by flyercanuck

[Fuzz]

3 hours ago, flyercanuck said:

 

Too old? They're 2,3,4 years older.

 

You know who will be too old? The players they hang onto that are already over 25. It's going to be awhile before this team is a contender...if it happens.

 

You trade guys like Laughton/Konecny/Farabee (he's not too old, it just appears Tortorella hates him so he's likely gone) and not only do you add more chips for the future, our own draft picks become more valuable because we'll likely fall into 'difference maker" area of the draft instead of "what the Flyers use to rebuild with" area. 

Absolutely correct.  Most all of the Cup winning teams have made a sacrifice to build a true contender.  Unless I'm mistaken, I don't see the Flyers willing to make such a sacrifice.