The first clash between Alex Ovechkin, the most prominent Russian hockey player in NHL history, and Matvei Michkov, perhaps today’s most highly-touted Russian prospect in the league, is set for Tuesday night in Philadelphia.
Ovechkin’s Washington Capitals are in town for the first half of a home and home, back-to-back against the Flyers. The road outing represents the first time Ovechkin and Michkov will meet on opposite sides of the Metropolitan Division rivalry. While Ovechkin will undoubtedly be searching for two points for his team, he did share some nice words for his young countryman before the contest.
“I’m happy for him,” Ovechkin said Monday. “He’s a talented guy. He’s in good hands over here. He just have to be patient, play his game, and everything is going to be fine.”
No 1 pick in 2004 #NHLDraft Alex Ovechkin
No _ pick in 2023 #NHLDraft Matvei Michkov#KHLPreseason pic.twitter.com/pCL5bofvCz— KHL (@khl_eng) July 28, 2022
Ovechkin knows all about the trials and tribulations of arriving in North America from Russia with high expectations. The former first-overall draft selection by the Caps in the 2004 NHL Draft first made his way to DC before the 2005-06 season as a 19-year-old with no real grasp of the English language.
“I think he just have to be patient, like play his game,” Ovechkin said. “I know Oleg Znarok here, so he’s in good hands. For me, I think you just have to be patient and play your game, most important thing. If you’re gonna think too much, you’re gonna do something too much, it’s not going to work.”
Ovechkin explicitly mentions Znarok, a highly decorated Russian-Latvian coach Philadelphia hired to their European player development and scouting consultant staff this past September. Znarok has been Ovechkin’s head coach multiple times, first with Dynamo Moscow during the NHL lockout portion of the 2012-13 season and then at three World Championships (2014-16) and the 2016 World Cup of Hockey with Team Russia.
“I think it’s fun when the talented players come here and play the right way, leading the way,” Ovechkin added. “I think as a player, you enjoy it. You wish them luck and see what happens.”
The Flyers have started their season poorly, with a 1-3-1 record, but Michkov has been one of their few bright spots. The 19-year-old winger is tied for the team lead in scoring with four points (2g, 2a) through five games.
Ovechkin scored his first goal of the season in Washington’s 6-5 overtime win against the New Jersey Devils on Saturday night. The Great Eight has four points (1g, 3a) through his first four games of the year.
“Everybody watched him when he was younger,” Michkov told NHL.com’s Adam Kimelman through an interpreter. “I watched him when I was younger. He’s one of the greatest players ever, and for sure one of the best.
“It’s going to be unique and historical to be playing against such a player. It’s an honor.”
Michkov was nearly Ovechkin’s teammate, as despite being one of the top prospects in the 2023 NHL Draft, he fell to the Flyers at pick number seven due to concerns about his KHL contract and questions about whether he’d ever come over to North America. Washington held pick number eight, ultimately selecting Ryan Leonard.
The Capitals were heavily rumored to be interested in taking the young Russian with their pick but ended up being beaten to the punch by the Flyers. Michkov’s Russian agent later outlined several reasons why Michkov may have preferred landing in Philadelphia over Washington. One of those reasons was the pressure of having to follow in the footsteps of Ovechkin.
Puck drop for Tuesday’s matchup is at 6 pm. The game is the first of 16 on the night’s slate, as every NHL team will play in the return of the Frozen Frenzy.
