hope dallas scores like 10 goals on us
- 2Real

Hart's in tonight, so I doubt it.

Torts' teams are always one of the leaders in blocked shots. It's part of his philosophy.

It's a feature, not a bug.
- Tomahawk

I know. My point is not so much the Flyers block shots as I am concerned that a player like Tippet, that is very important to the future of this team, is blocking so many.

Hart's in tonight, so I doubt it.
- jd250

(frank)

Interesting comments from Russ Cohen today about the draft. He mentioned that Michkov in fact could drop given his situation and similarity to Kiprisov in Minnesota, and some teams like the Flyers will not be patient enough to wait for him. Russ thought that if the Michkov was there at 7 for the Flyers they would pass also because he doesn't see Briere's first pick as GM to be a player with this amount of risk. So I hope some of you will be reaching out to Russ and calling him absurd also.

From The Athletic:
- Tomahawk

Thank you

Interesting comments from Russ Cohen today about the draft. He mentioned that Michkov in fact could drop given his situation and similarity to Kiprisov in Minnesota, and some teams like the Flyers will not be patient enough to wait for him. Russ thought that if the Michkov was there at 7 for the Flyers they would pass also because he doesn't see Briere's first pick as GM to be a player with this amount of risk. So I hope some of you will be reaching out to Russ and calling him absurd also.
- jd250

I'm not worried about Michkov contract in the KHL nor am I worried about being patient.

The problem I have is he is Russian drafted by the FLYERS. Doesn't mean I don't want the Flyers to draft a Russian player, but the risk is for the Flyers themselves drafting him, not some other teams.

I don't believe they would allow Michkov to come over if he is part of the Flyers organization and for it to happen Michkov would have to defect. I don't believe the Flyers have anyone to get that done.

Flyers/Russia old hatred doesn't exist anymore...that's a pile of BS. If Michkov falls to them, they draft him and they are unable to get him over here when his contract expires in the KHL...bigger bust for the Flyers than drafting Patrick IMO. Some would say his trade value would help the Flyers, maybe if they trade him at the right time, but not when they are in a no-win situation.

Interesting comments from Russ Cohen today about the draft. He mentioned that Michkov in fact could drop given his situation and similarity to Kiprisov in Minnesota, and some teams like the Flyers will not be patient enough to wait for him. Russ thought that if the Michkov was there at 7 for the Flyers they would pass also because he doesn't see Briere's first pick as GM to be a player with this amount of risk. So I hope some of you will be reaching out to Russ and calling him absurd also.
- jd250

Apparently, you're having difficulty in understanding the difference between a player dropping in the draft and dropping out of the first round completely.

Torts addressed this today. He said the effort is there, but its very hard for players (I presume veteran players) to keep focused at this time of the year when the season is winding down and the team is out of the playoffs.
- jd250

Didn’t see that. Thanks for the info.

Interesting comments from Russ Cohen today about the draft. He mentioned that Michkov in fact could drop given his situation and similarity to Kiprisov in Minnesota, and some teams like the Flyers will not be patient enough to wait for him. Russ thought that if the Michkov was there at 7 for the Flyers they would pass also because he doesn't see Briere's first pick as GM to be a player with this amount of risk. So I hope some of you will be reaching out to Russ and calling him absurd also.
- jd250

Where in that statement does it say he will fall out of the first round

Where in that statement does it say he will fall out of the first round
- ClaudeFather

Briere should be fired if Michkov drops to 7 and he doesn't pick him.

Briere should be fired if Michkov drops to 7 and he doesn't pick him.
- MBFlyerfan

Please don't show this to Torts:

Interesting comments from Russ Cohen today about the draft. He mentioned that Michkov in fact could drop given his situation and similarity to Kiprisov in Minnesota, and some teams like the Flyers will not be patient enough to wait for him. Russ thought that if the Michkov was there at 7 for the Flyers they would pass also because he doesn't see Briere's first pick as GM to be a player with this amount of risk. So I hope some of you will be reaching out to Russ and calling him absurd also.
- jd250

Cohen has Michkov going 4OA. I didn’t read his comments about falling like Kaprisov. The biggest similarity between the two is that they’re Russian.

Fletcher and Flahr saw Kaprizov as a smaller player who was a good skater and had some offensive flair. I read once that they saw him as a middle six with a 2LW ceiling. Probably similar to what other GMs saw. Fletcher and Flahr thought taking him in the 5th was a good move.

Kaprizov improved his skating developing superior edge work. He developed in the KHL. Soon he was scoring highlight real goals and grew 1-2 inches and put on 30 pounds. Everyone knows Michkov is elite but Kaprizov wasn’t seen the same way. I doubt he drops much and the concerns about him not coming over are overblown and without supporting evidence.

Briere should be fired if Michkov drops to 7 and he doesn't pick him.
- MBFlyerfan

Briere or any new GM should be fired if they pick Michkov and he never comes over to NA to play for the Flyers.

Kind of a no win situation.

Michkov could be better than Gretzky and McDavid combined, but that skill means nothing if he doesn't play for you. Unless the Flyers know FOR SURE they can get him over here then you have to make the smart play by trading the pick or selecting him and trading him at a later time.

Briere or any new GM should be fired if they pick Michkov and he never comes over to NA to play for the Flyers.

Kind of a no win situation.

Michkov could be better than Gretzky and McDavid combined, but that skill means nothing if he doesn't play for you. Unless the Flyers know FOR SURE they can get him over here then you have to make the smart play by trading the pick or selecting him and trading him at a later time.
- Glak18

The chance he doesn't come over when it is time is slim to none. That would be idiotic for so many entities they are too numerous to count. The Russian government is not going to all of the sudden start preventing their players from coming over to the NHL and making millions of dollars. It would be mass chaos in their hockey programs. There are too many Russian stars already in the league. It would be a PR and financial disaster for the Russian government and their hockey federation.

All it tells me is that Torts teams never have the puck.
- MBFlyerfan

The Golden Knights lead the league in blocked shots and are #1 in the west...

Cohen has Michkov going 4OA. I didn’t read his comments about falling like Kaprisov. The biggest similarity between the two is that they’re Russian.

Fletcher and Flahr saw Kaprizov as a smaller player who was a good skater and had some offensive flair. I read once that they saw him as a middle six with a 2LW ceiling. Probably similar to what other GMs saw. Fletcher and Flahr thought taking him in the 5th was a good move.

Kaprizov improved his skating developing superior edge work. He developed in the KHL. Soon he was scoring highlight real goals and grew 1-2 inches and put on 30 pounds. Everyone knows Michkov is elite but Kaprizov wasn’t seen the same way. I doubt he drops much and the concerns about him not coming over are overblown and without supporting evidence.
- Minnyhock

I believe the comparison to Kaprizov was more about the time between draft day and when they finally got him into the lineup. Kaprizov had an interview where he said that Fletch/Flahr just kinda "forgot about him" after a few years and Guerin's the one who reestablished contact and got the ball rolling.

Michkov will finish out his contract in 2026 and then cross over. It's assured. Why would Putin and his buddies stop him? Hockey is a source of soft power and Michkov has a chance to be the next Russian hockey superstar.

The chance he doesn't come over when it is time is slim to none. That would be idiotic for so many entities they are too numerous to count. The Russian government is not going to all of the sudden start preventing their players from coming over to the NHL and making millions of dollars. It would be mass chaos in their hockey programs. There are too many Russian stars already in the league. It would be a PR and financial disaster for the Russian government and their hockey federation.
- MBFlyerfan

Fedotov and Vorobyov are just the 2 most recent for the Flyers....for "military obligations and bribing".

I believe the comparison to Kaprizov was more about the time between draft day and when they finally got him into the lineup. Kaprizov had an interview where he said that Fletch/Flahr just kinda "forgot about him" after a few years and Guerin's the one who reestablished contact and got the ball rolling.

Michkov will finish out his contract in 2026 and then cross over. It's assured. Why would Putin and his buddies stop him? Hockey is a source of soft power and Michkov has a chance to be the next Russian hockey superstar.
- Tomahawk

I wouldn't be surprised if Putin was deposed or dead by the time that happens.

If this was 2014, I would say you are spot on. However, today Putin is increasingly isolated, threatened, and vengeful. These are not human qualities that equate to being a “rational actor” on the world stage. He has consistently shown that human life of any nationality is not his concern. A star hockey player is no different. If he can use Michkov, in his mind, to give the bird to the US and it’s sporting world, I think that he may do so. Count me on the side of not picking him due to the continued instability Putin will bring to the world until he is taken out.

I believe the comparison to Kaprizov was more about the time between draft day and when they finally got him into the lineup. Kaprizov had an interview where he said that Fletch/Flahr just kinda "forgot about him" after a few years and Guerin's the one who reestablished contact and got the ball rolling.

Michkov will finish out his contract in 2026 and then cross over. It's assured. Why would Putin and his buddies stop him? Hockey is a source of soft power and Michkov has a chance to be the next Russian hockey superstar.
- Tomahawk

Briere should be fired if Michkov drops to 7 and he doesn't pick him.
- MBFlyerfan

It's a classic catch-22 situation.

If this was 2014, I would say you are spot on. However, today Putin is increasingly isolated, threatened, and vengeful. These are not human qualities that equate to being a “rational actor” on the world stage. He has consistently shown that human life of any nationality is not his concern. A star hockey player is no different. If he can use Michkov, in his mind, to give the bird to the US and it’s sporting world, I think that he may do so. Count me on the side of not picking him due to the continued instability Putin will bring to the world until he is taken out.



- dcflyerfan71

If Michkov was from ANY other country and still had a 3 year contract with another club when drafted we wouldn't be debating this, he would be picked #2 without question.

The chance he doesn't come over when it is time is slim to none. That would be idiotic for so many entities they are too numerous to count. The Russian government is not going to all of the sudden start preventing their players from coming over to the NHL and making millions of dollars. It would be mass chaos in their hockey programs. There are too many Russian stars already in the league. It would be a PR and financial disaster for the Russian government and their hockey federation.
- MBFlyerfan

Ivan Fedotov Says hi

Fedotov and Vorobyov are just the 2 most recent for the Flyers....for "military obligations and bribing".
- Glak18

I guess. But Fedotov will be here next year and Vorobyov was a 4th round pick 8 years ago in who is currently playing in the KHL. Neither are considered a future replacement for Alexander Ovechkin or Kucherov as representatives of the Russian Bear in the greatest league in the world.

Ivan Fedotov Says hi
- Dkos

Yes he does. You can say hi to him in person when he is here next season.

If Michkov was from ANY other country and still had a 3 year contract with another club when drafted we wouldn't be debating this, he would be picked #2 without question.
- Glak18

Probably true, but GMs are in the hockey business and therefore the risk business. IMHO it’s too risky given the current political environment. I’m betting Briere agrees and stays away from Michkov. It’s just my take, nothing more.