“Piece of s**t” – Questions raised over Matvei Michkov’s character as concerning update emerges from SKA camp

Following Matvei Michkov's selection as the seventh overall pick in the 2023 draft, former NHL player Ray Whitney provided some fascinating observations during a recent interview. Whitney revealed the factors that contributed to Michkov's surprising decline in the draft despite his remarkable talent.

According to Whitney, a teammate of Michkov made a direct statement this year that shed important light on the new Philadelphia Flyers player.

Further rumors have surfaced that Michkov had issues with his SKA Saint Petersburg teammates during the previous season, which frequently resulted in conflicts. Whitney said:

"I heard that. Listens to nothing... coaches, veterans trying to talk to him, just tells them, 'F**k off.' A guy he played with this year just said, 'This kid, as much as I'm trying to give him a shot is just a piece of shit.'"

Even though they recognized Matvei Michkov's youth and potential for development, the Montreal Canadiens chose not to select him, which looks to have helped them avoid a potentially serious problem. It's important to remember the Canadiens scout's comments:

"It's not better if we add a rotten apple to our locker room."

According to numerous reports, Michkov explicitly told some general managers that he had no intention of leaving the KHL to sign with them, while also allegedly refusing to meet with a number of teams.

Matvei Michkov’s professional hockey career

Philadelphia Flyers' right winger Matvei Michkov began his career as a professional hockey player in 2021 by making his KHL (Kontinental Hockey League) debut with the storied SKA Saint Petersburg. He played his debut game on Sept. 2, 2021.

Michkov displayed his talent during the season despite splitting his time between SKA and their younger affiliates. He recorded five points in 13 KHL contests and a remarkable 51 points in 28 MHL contests with SKA-1946 and SKA Varyagi.

The young hockey star committed to SKA Saint Petersburg and signed a five-year contract, securing his stay in Russia until the 2025–26 campaign. However, Michkov was forced to miss two months of KHL action due to an unlucky injury brought on by Alexei Emelin. This resulted in him joining the SKA's minor-league affiliate, SKA-Neva, in the Supreme Hockey League (VHL) for the 2022-23 season.