Spittin' Chiclets details Michkov's character issues

Despite being arguably the second most talented player of the 2023 NHL draft, Matvei Michkov saw himself fall to seventh overall, to the Philadelphia Flyers. It's been widely known that off-ice issues would deter teams from selecting Michkov, namely his current KHL contract and the political climate in Russia, but more character issues have been subtly reported.

Now, the Spittin' Chiclets podcast has new details to add to the reported character issues with Matvei Michkov. In the clip below, Paul Bissonnette and Ryan Whitney discuss talking to Michkov's coaches and teammates, confirming the young player doesn't take criticism well - and even kicked a teammate in retaliation.


On the other hand, often times North American scouts can misunderstand young European players, especially Russians. More so, Michkov should not be dismissed for the actions and current state of the Russian government. All other factors aside, Michkov could be one of the most talented players in this draft.


In the famously low scoring KHL, Michkov posted 9 goals and 20 points in 27 games at 18 years old - against much older competition. If the Philadelphia Flyers can understand and address Michkov's alleged off-ice issues, the team could've stolen a superstar with the seventh overall selection.