Flyers draft Matvei Michkov, willing to wait out his KHL deal - ESPN

NASHVILLE — Matvei Michkov had one wish granted when the Philadelphia Flyers selected him seventh overall in the 2023 NHL draft Wednesday night. But he has another wish for his NHL career: To honor his late father by lifting the Stanley Cup.

Michkov's father, Andrei, died in April at the age of 51, according to the Russian Hockey Federation.

Matvei Michkov, an 18-year-old right wing who played for the Russian national team, was thinking about his late father as he wore a Flyers jersey for the first time.

«Right now, it's important for me to finish the goal that my dad had for me, and that's winning the Stanley Cup,» he said through an interpreter.

Michkov credited his father with developing his offensive game.

«A lot of the credit goes to my goal scoring to my late father. He taught me the different ways of disguising my shot. I think right now he'd be very proud and happy for me and all the work that we put in together and he'd be proud of where I am,» he said.

Michkov was the most fascinating player in the draft's first round. Some scouts claimed the winger had the highest talent ceiling outside of Connor Bedard, who was drafted first overall by the Chicago Blackhawks.

Michkov had 16 points in seven games, including 12 goals, at the 2020-21 IIHF U18 world junior championships. He had 22 goals in 22 games in the Kontinental Hockey League's developmental league in 2021-22. Last season in the KHL, he had 20 points in 27 games, starting the season as a 17-year-old.

Michkov is ranked second behind center Leo Carlsson from Orebro HK in Sweden among European skaters by NHL Central Scouting. Carlsson was drafted second overall by the Anaheim Ducks.

While he didn't attend the NHL combine, Michkov met with select teams, fueling