Draft takeaways: Flyers crush Round 1 picks, Michkov nails first impression

NASHVILLE - The international man of mystery is a mystery no longer - and if first impressions are to be taken at face value, the Philadelphia Flyers are getting a wholly committed Matvei Michkov.

Following a year of questions about everything from his desire to play in North America to a supposedly hard-to-like personality, Michkov slid to seventh overall and into the Flyers' lap Wednesday during the first round of the NHL draft. It was the first selection by Philadelphia's new president-general manager duo of Keith Jones and Daniel Briere, and it's one that could make the executives who picked in the 2-6 range look awfully foolish in the coming years.

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Michkov, who some talent evaluators have labeled a "hockey genius" for his exceptional offensive instincts, thoroughly impressed over a 10-minute session with reporters in the bowels of Bridgestone Arena. Flanked by two interpreters, the largely anonymous Russian said on multiple occasions, and in no uncertain terms, that he's committed to playing for Philly.

The sharp-shooting winger even noted the Flyers were atop his list of preferred destinations.

"My biggest wish and biggest expectation is that I want to come to Philadelphia and I want to help them win a Stanley Cup," Michkov said. "I know they've been waiting a long time for one. That's my goal (too), and that's why I'm coming."

Michkov's KHL contract with SKA St. Petersburg runs through the 2025-26 season. "But," he said, "I am hoping as soon as I can get out, I'm going to be coming."

Michkov, 18, met with Philly brass twice during 2022-23. Both interactions were extremely positive and made the youngster feel very comfortable. The organization, he said, is "smart" and "strong."

Briere, meanwhile, tried to trade into the top six of the draft because he was worried Michkov wouldn't be available at seven. The price was too steep, yet Briere still got his guy. "We don't have anybody like him in our organization," the GM said, spitting truth. Beyond 2022 first-rounder Cutter Gauthier, the Flyers previously lacked high-end talent.

The soft-spoken Michkov praised his entire immediate family for influencing his career up to this point, and he specifically credited his late father Andrei with teaching him how to disguise his shot, which is considered elite.

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Adding to the mystique of Michkov in the leadup to the draft was a lack of live viewings. Most NHL scouts and executives were limited to assessing Michkov and his Russian peers exclusively on video due to travel restrictions because of the war in Ukraine. Many teams had yet to meet the kid until earlier this week.

With so many enticing options at the top of the draft, passing on Michkov - the first overall pick in several recent draft classes, based on his current talent level and NHL ceiling - wasn't particularly hard for risk-averse teams. But that doesn't make the Flyers' decision to tap Michkov any less impressive, especially when coupled with a safe but smart pick at 22nd overall (defenseman Oliver Bonk from the OHL's London Knights).

As the questioning slowed and the scrum with reporters dissipated, Michkov uttered his first English words to North American media and, by extension, fans. "Thank you. Thank you very much," he said into the NHL-branded microphone before walking away.

If Michkov actually has no plans on playing in the NHL, he put on one heckuva acting performance in Nashville.

Loud winner: Blue Jackets

While the Flyers left Bridgestone with a potential game-changer, the Columbus Blue Jackets were the true winners Wednesday. That's saying something considering seven teams held more than one first-round pick.

After phenom Connor Bedard went first to Chicago and Anaheim chose Swedish center Leo Carlsson at No. 2, Columbus GM Jarmo Kekalainen didn't overthink it when picking Adam Fantilli.

Fantilli, a total-package center who was named the top player in college hockey this past season, might step into the Blue Jackets' lineup as early as this fall. There's little else for him to prove in the NCAA following 30 goals and 35 assists in 36 games against players in their early-to-mid 20s.

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It's possible Carlsson ends up being the more impactful NHLer, but the smart money's on Fantilli, not Carlsson, reaching superstar status. Scouts rave about Fantilli's skill set - the shooting, the skating, the stickhandling - as well as his physical tools and strong character. In a word: stud.

It's ideal timing for Kekalainen, who acquired defensemen Ivan Provorov and Damon Severson via trade earlier this month and will introduce Mike Babcock as the club's new coach in a few days. Fantilli will face hurdles, as all young players do, but he's a polished prospect.

Kekalainen is 10 years into his tenure. The Blue Jackets have won a grand total of one playoff series over that period. It's clear he's uninterested in being a middling squad moving forward and views last season's woeful record (25-48-8-1) as an aberration. If the Finnish GM's track record tells us anything, he isn't done wheeling or dealing, either.

Translation: Continue to keep an eye on the Blue Jackets as free agency opens Saturday. They should be active, as usual.

Predators nab 'diet Cale Makar' Jonathan Kozub / Getty Images Sport / Getty

Pundits tend to traffic in superlatives around the draft. Sometimes, it gets out of hand. In Tanner Moldendyk's case, though, the hype surrounding his skating is legitimate. As FloHockey analyst Chris Peters puts it, he's a "diet Cale Makar."

"He doesn't have Makar's straight-line explosiveness," Peters said of Molendyk, the 24th overall pick to Nashville. "But he's got multiple avenues of mobility. His edge work is outstanding, and if he's on the offensive blue line, he can make some puck plays with his feet after standing still."

Molendyk, a defenseman for the WHL's Saskatoon Blades, studies elite NHL skaters Shea Theodore and Miro Heiskanen. The 5-foot-11, 181-pounder says he honed his stride as a kid by skating twice a day at the arena in tiny McBride, British Columbia. His quick feet allow him to keep a tight gap on attackers. He's also known for having an active stick and an edge to his defensive game.

The next step: Molendyk, who put up 45 points in 85 regular-season and playoff contests this past season, wants to "crack that seal" in his offensive game with an improved shot. He didn't score his first goal until his 21st game of 2022-23 - though his draft stock bounced back after a strong postseason.

While Peters believes Molendyk can blossom into a top-four NHL defenseman, it's no guarantee. "Does he think the game at a high enough level to maximize those athletic tools that he clearly has?" the analyst asked.

I love this pick for new Predators GM Barry Trotz. His pick at 12th overall - forward Matthew Wood - was relatively safe. He's banking on upside with Molendyk.

Player to watch: Dylan MacKinnon Dennis Pajot / Getty Images

Earlier this month at the scouting combine, MacKinnon grinned widely after being asked about his mullet. Was it new? Nope, he's been rocking it all year.

"I had a mustache earlier this week," MacKinnon said proudly. "But I figured I'd give that a trim before I started talking to NHL teams."

MacKinnon, who could go off the board Thursday as early as the third round, is a throwback defenseman. He works his ass off. He plays a simple, north-south game. He uses every inch and pound of his 6-foot-2, 190-pound frame to deliver thunderous body checks. He kills penalties. He fights if need be.

Unsurprisingly, the Halifax Mooseheads blue-liner models his game after the NHL's premier open-ice hitter, Jacob Trouba. "Very physical guy," MacKinnon said. "He isn't afraid to shed the mitts. I just absolutely love the way he plays."

MacKinnon's NHL ceiling is the bottom pair. But even in a limited role, he'd be a fan favorite. Don't believe me? Here he is on trash-talking in the QMJHL:

"I'm usually the one throwing them around. There were a couple (high-quality chirps) in the last series of the playoffs. They were all asking me what I do for my team. But none of them would fight me," MacKinnon said. "I told them I was a (younger player) and that I'd still fold them like a lawn chair. They got the memo. In that series, I think I was averaging like 10 pretty big hits a game. They all knew they weren't going to do anything about it."

Quiet winner: Devils Icon Sportswire / Getty Images

The salary cap is rising by only $1 million. The UFA crop is weak. The draft class is strong.

These variables suggested Wednesday would be a busy night of trades. In the end, though, there wasn't a single swap completed on the draft floor. How anticlimactic.

Hey, maybe it all comes down to the fact that New Jersey Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald ticked off the bulk of his offseason business prior to the opening pick. Even without a first-rounder, the Devils had themselves a draft week to remember by pulling off a pair of trades and re-signing a key free agent.

Coming in through a trade with the Calgary Flames: two-time 30-goal scorer Tyler Toffoli. Sticking around through an eight-year extension: three-time 30-goal scorer Timo Meier. Leaving: underperforming goalie Mackenzie Blackwood and middle-six forward Yegor Sharangovich. (There was a trade involving AHLers, too, as well as late-round picks that went in and out at different points, but you get the point.)

If you loop in Jesper Bratt's extension and Severson getting shipped to Columbus, Fitzgerald's been the league's most productive GM in a generally busy month of movement. Now, after allocating his cap space cleverly over the past three years, New Jersey's front office has locked in an enviable core.

Jack Hughes, Nico Hischier, Ondrej Palat, Bratt, Toffoli, and Meier - a dynamite top-six forward group - will combine to make $42.2 million in 2023-24, and all but Toffoli are signed through 2026-27. It's too early to pick Stanley Cup contenders for next season. But New Jersey, who lost to the Carolina Hurricanes in the second round in May, has certainly commanded my attention.

John Matisz is theScore's senior NHL writer. Follow John on Twitter (@MatiszJohn) or contact him via email (john.matisz@thescore.com).

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