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Flyers’ Matvei Michkov on pace to break NHL star’s scoring record

Originally posted on Philly Hockey Now
By Jonathan Bailey | Last updated 12/31/23

Previously, we had talked about how Philadelphia Flyers prospect, Matvei Michkov, was scoring in the KHL at a pace that even Evgeni Malkin couldn’t rival. Now, Michkov is on track to do all that and more. We’re talking about breaking records.

Michkov had just been reinstated to HK Sochi’s lineup after a tussle with pneumonia, and marked his return with a power play goal . With 12 goals, 16 assists, and 28 points under his belt in only 31 games, the 19-year-old is quietly (or not so quietly) on pace to break the KHL’s U-20 single season scoring record. Who set the record? None other than the Minnesota Wild’s Kirill Kaprizov, who might also be a suitable stylistic comparison to Michkov.

Matvei Michkov with the nice little dish and primary helper.

He's up to 28 points in 32 KHL games – putting him on pace to break Kirill Kaprizov's U20 points record.

Kids good. pic.twitter.com/Y51rbyDSpS

— /Cam Robinson/ (@Hockey_Robinson) December 30, 2023

Back in the 2016-17 season, a then 19-year-old Kirill Kaprizov, playing in the KHL for Salavat Yulaev Ufa, scored 20 goals, 22 assists, and 42 points in 49 games. By doing so, he overtook the Washington Capitals’ Evgeny Kuznetsov for the KHL U-20 scoring record. Now healthy, Matvei Michkov is within shouting distance of claiming the U-20 scoring record for himself.

Currently, Michkov’s scoring pace projects him to reach 20 goals, 27 assists, and 47 points in 54 games played. It’s quite similar to Kaprizov’s scoring pace that year, as Michkov figures to score five more points in five more games played. This is especially favorable because Kaprizov turned out to be one of the NHL’s quietest, most underrated stars. The 26-year-old has been as good as a 47-goal, 61-assist, 108-point campaign at the NHL level, which he achieved back in the 2021-22 season. Since then, Kaprizov has scored 109 points in his last 101 regular season games.

As simple as it sounds, all the Flyers’ Michkov has to do is to, well, do what he’s been doing. It remains to be seen whether the future Flyers star has recovered all of his fitness after some time off, but the ability to snag Kaprizov’s record is unquestionably there.

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This article first appeared on Philly Hockey Now and was syndicated with permission.

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