Matvei Michkov was reluctant to join Washington Capitals, agent tells "desire was mutual"

In a recent interview with reporter Mikhail Zislis on Sport-Express' Russian language YouTube show, Matvei Michkov's agent, Sergei Fedotov, made some surprising revelations about the young forward's pre-draft preferences.

Fedotov's comments, transcribed by sports.ru and translated via Google Translate, shed light on Michkov's lack of desire to be selected by the Washington Capitals in the 2023 NHL draft.

Source: Chris Cerullo (RMNB)

According to Fedotov, Michkov had no intention of being drafted by the Capitals, as he disclosed in the interview. Despite Michkov's potential as a top prospect, he did not view Washington as his preferred destination. Fedotov stated that Michkov nearly became the second overall pick by the Anaheim Ducks, with the team seriously considering him after a video conference with legendary scout Konstantin Krylov. However, the Ducks ultimately opted for Swedish center Leo Carlsson.

Instead of Anaheim, Matvei Michkov had his sights set on the Philadelphia Flyers. Fedotov revealed that negotiations took place between Michkov's North American agent, Max Moliver, and the Flyers.

These discussions led to Michkov's strong desire to join Philadelphia, driven by various factors including the city, the region, the contract with SKA, and, most importantly, Michkov's personal preference. It seems that all these elements aligned perfectly for Michkov in relation to the Flyers.

Contrary to the speculation surrounding Michkov's potential landing spots, Fedotov dismissed any notion of his client's interest in the Arizona Coyotes or the Washington Capitals. He revealed that Michkov did not want to be drafted by either of these teams, for different reasons that were not specified. Fedotov made it clear that Michkov's desire to join the Flyers was a result of the player's personal preference:

“Yes, there was no desire to be in Arizona. There wasn’t at all. [Some kind of insider said], that it was deliberately started, that Matvei Michkov [wanted to go to] Washington. Matvei Michkov did not want to get into Washington. This desire was mutual.”

Contrasting perspectives on Matvei Michkov's NHL Draft selection

Fedotov also refuted an insider report that circulated before the draft, claiming that Matvei Michkov had a 99% chance of being selected by the Capitals. The agent dismissed the report as baseless, suggesting that the source had fabricated the information and presented it as insider knowledge.

Fedotov expressed his disagreement with the report and emphasized that Michkov had no interest in joining either the Capitals or Coyotes.

These revelations from Fedotov contrast with Michkov's own statement back in mid-May. During an interview, Michkov sounded positive about the possibility of joining the Capitals, stating that it would be great but acknowledged that the final decision was not solely in his hands. However, Fedotov's recent comments provide a different perspective, indicating that Michkov's true desires were aligned with Philadelphia and not Washington.

It is worth noting that the Capitals made attempts to move up from the eighth overall pick in an effort to select Matvei Michkov. General manager Brian MacLellan confirmed the team's efforts but acknowledged that they were unable to execute the trade.

As a result, the Capitals chose Ryan Leonard, a talented player from the U-18 USA Hockey National Team Development Program, with their original pick. Leonard has already displayed his potential during the team's recent development camp, receiving praise from fans, teammates and management.