Where to pick Matvei Michkov and other Russian players is a top question at the NHL draft

Published June 26, 2023 8:27 AM

By STEPHEN WHYNO
AP Hockey Writer

Matvei Michkov is probably the best hockey prospect out of Russia in nearly a decade. He might be the best since Alex Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin in 2005. But Michkov still is no lock to get drafted in the top five because he’s still under contract in the KHL for three more seasons. That’s giving NHL teams reason to worry he might never make it to North America. The war in Ukraine has also meant the dilemma over Russian players isn’t just limited to Michkov because of resulting travel restrictions and international bans that have made scouting more difficult.

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