This week it has been rumored that 19 year old Russian prospect Matvei Michkov could be joining to the Flyers this summer. Michkov currently has two years left on this KHL contract with SKA St Petersburg. But it has been reported that the two teams are in decision with terminating the young forward’s contract so that he can join the Flyers. This practice is not unheard of as Ivan Miroshnichenko had his KHL contract terminated so that he could join the Washington Capitals last year. The final decision is in the hands of SKA and Michkov’s family, but the Flyers and SKA are in good relations.
If Michkov is able to come to America this summer the Flyers would pivot their free agency, draft, and trade plans into a “win-now” attitude. To quickly build a competitive team around Michkov with the aspirations of making a deep playoff run for the first time in over a decade (not counting the bubble playoffs of 2020). The quicker the process happens, the better it would be for the Flyers. As the draft takes place June 28th-29th with free agency starting on July 1st. Last month the Flyers were able to quickly bring goaltender Ivan Fedotov in from Russia after his KHL season ended with CSKA Moscow. This is a developing story with no deal set in place yet.
Other Flyers prospect have been having success in their playoff runs. As Oliver Bonk, the Flyers best defensive prospect won the OHL Championship, J. Ross Robertson Cup, with the London Knights. In 18 games Bonk recorded 16 points in the championship effort. Bonk and the Knights will now be playing in the Memorial Cup for the CHL champions against the champions of the WHL, QMJHL, and the host team Saginaw Spirit. While the Lehigh Valley Phantoms quest for a Calder Cup has ended in the second round to their division rival Hershey Bears. The defending champion Bears won the best of five series in four games.
CHRISTOPHER HANEWINCKEL/USA TODAY SPORTS
Nathan Harding
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