NHL Draft Prospect Roundup: Is Matvei Michkov the true No. 2 talent in the class?

Steven Ellis
Steven Ellis
Matvei Michkov
Credit: Yuri Kuzmin/KHL

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Since most of the world starts their hockey early, we’re starting to see leagues wrap up the regular season right about now.

The KHL, for example, ended its regular season last week, which meant some draft eligible players had their seasons come to premature ends. Others, like Matvei Michkov, were sent down to the MHL to continue causing as much damage as possible.

I feel bad for the MHL goaltenders that are about to feel Michkov’s wrath. His situation is interesting and well-documented. Michkov was considered by many scouts to be the best challenger to Connor Bedard’s throne. But a long-term KHL deal, mixed in with the uncertainty of Russian-born players right now, means he’ll likely fall out of the top 10 of the 2023 Draft, fair or not. But his recent play has gotten people talking, and now he’s ready to finish the season with a bang.

Today, we’ll look at Michkov, and nine other notable prospects you need to know right now:

KHL

– After an injury resulted in a late start to the season, Matvei Michkov (No. 3) turned on the jets midway through and never looked back. He played limited minutes with SKA St. Petersburg and was sent down, where he looked good in the second-tier Russian league. He was then loaned out to HK Sochi to finish the season – easily the worst team in the league with just five wins in the first half of the season. Michkov only helped contribute another four wins, but he managed to finish fourth in team scoring with 20 points in just 27 games – 10 fewer than team leader Artur Tyanulin, who played 28 more games. For context, no draft-eligible player has put up better than Michkov’s .67 points-per-game average in either the KHL or the RSL that preceded it. Michkov finished with a five-point night to close the season and had 11 points in the final 10 games for a team that offered him little offensive support. Now, he’ll finish the season back in the Russian junior league – imagine putting up the numbers he did in the KHL, only to go beat up on some kids. It’s unfair. And, honestly, with what we saw from in Sochi, the sinking feeling I’ve had all year of him being the true No. 2 prospect is starting to return. Obviously, his long-term deal in Russia means he won’t be taken second, but down the line… just a thought.

SHL

– Leo Carlsson (No. 4) has played some of his best pro hockey of his career with four goals in his past five games. He’s now up to nine goals and 22 points in 40 games while playing some solid minutes for Orebro. I know a lot of scouts have been out to visit him recently – including for a game earlier this week where he was scratched for sleeping in during a team meeting. Not great, but the on-ice production has been promising.

WHL

– Zach Benson (No. 5) is playing at a ridiculous rate. Thanks to a six-point performance on Sunday, Benson has 21 points in his past 10 games. He’s now at 93 in 55 games to sit comfortably in second in WHL scoring behind Connor Bedard. Benson is ranked as the fifth-best prospect nearly across the board – so a longshot team in the Bedard sweepstakes is going to get a creative, goal-scoring forward with the potential to put up 80 points a year. Seriously, he’d be top two or three in most other years.

– After an impressive performance at the CHL Top Prospects Game in January, goaltender Scott Ratzlaff (N/A) has continued the momentum alongside Thomas Milic in the Seattle Thunderbirds’ crease. The 6-foot-1 goaltender has allowed just two goals over his past three shots and is 4-1-0 since the top prospects game, albeit losing some playing time to the older Milic. Ratzlaff isn’t a big goalie, but he makes up for it with a good head on his shoulders and his ability to never get rattled after a goal against.

OHL

– The younger brother of Los Angeles Kings prospect Francesco Pinelli, Luca Pinelli (No. 50) is one of the highest-rising prospects out of the OHL, and I’m happy to see it. He looked good as an undersized, but feisty center when he was in the GTHL and I was excited to see what he could do at the U-16 level – only for the season to be cancelled due to COVID-19. He been producing at a point-per-game rate this year for the top team in the East Division, but one without a dominant goal-scorer. Instead, Pinelli has been the one driving the plays, and now he’s looking to force himself into the first-round conversation.

– The hype continues for Barrie Colts defenseman Beau Akey (No. 55). He’s now up to 10 goals and 42 points, including five points in his past seven games. Akey wasn’t high on anyone’s radar last year, but he has seen his offensive output triple. He’s creative, willing to take risks and looks much more confident shooting instead of just searching for his teammates like his old default. Akey is going to offer some solid value at the draft table.

QMJHL

– Ty Higgins (N/A) wasn’t someone I kept an eye on too closely, but his story is interesting. The 18-year-old had a decent season with the Waterloo Wolves U-16 team in 2019-20 but went undrafted. He then lost the 2020-21 season due to COVID-19 and went to Jr. B for half of 2021-22 just to get reps in. He ended up going to the QMJHL – something that rarely happens to Ontario-born players. Higgins is now a crucial part of the Acadie-Bathurst Titan thanks to his two-way play and his ability to start the rush. Higgins’ skating is quite average which takes him down a peg, but he’s one that could be worth cheering on.

– Andrei Loshko (N/A) often looked lost last year, struggling to keep up with the pace. This year, the Belarusian forward is producing at more a point-per-game pace with Chicoutimi. It just looks he hit a switch early in the season and managed to always be in the right position at the right time. He’s patient, makes smart decisions with the puck and the numbers are starting to show in his favor. Look for Loshko to land somewhere in the third round.

USHL

– There hasn’t been much attention for Ryan Conmy (N/A), the top scorer on Sioux City with 40 points. His 26 goals are actually the most of any first-year eligible USHLer, too. He has always been a goal-scorer at every level, so what gives? One scout said they don’t love his game away from the puck, and if he doesn’t score at the next level, his effectiveness is limited drastically. His speed leaves a bit to be desired, too. Still, I think there’s enough optimism that he can show his talent in the NCAA and perhaps become a project player, but start keeping a close eye on him.

– USNTDP goaltender Carsen Musser (N/A) recently committed to Colorado College over the weekend, meaning every full-time player on the U-18 team has an NCAA team lined up. The 6-foot-4 netminder with the very-American pad setup had a 3-1-0 record in February, most recently beating Lindenwood University over the weekend. The verdict is still out with him – he clearly has the size, but there’s often many games where he isn’t tested. Still, his big frame doesn’t hurt, and teams might take a chance on him for that alone.

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