Da Windy City
Fansided

Blackhawks: 3 prospects to draft if not Bedard or Fantilli

By Vincent Parise

LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND - JANUARY 20: #19 Matvei Michkov of Russian Federation scores a goal against #1 Goalkeeper Magnus Mortensen of Denmark during Men's 6-Team Tournament Preliminary Round - Group B Game between Russia and Denmark of the Lausanne 2020 Winter Youth Olympics on January 20, 2020 in Lausanne, Switzerland. (Photo by RvS.Media/Basile Barbey/Getty Images)
LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND - JANUARY 20: #19 Matvei Michkov of Russian Federation scores a goal against #1 Goalkeeper Magnus Mortensen of Denmark during Men's 6-Team Tournament Preliminary Round - Group B Game between Russia and Denmark of the Lausanne 2020 Winter Youth Olympics on January 20, 2020 in Lausanne, Switzerland. (Photo by RvS.Media/Basile Barbey/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 4
Next
Chicago Blackhawks, Matvei Michkov
(Photo by Maksim Konstantinov/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images) /

1. Matvei Michkov

Matvei Michkov is a risky player to draft but the Blackhawks would love him.

The Chicago Blackhawks might be smart to consider Russian forward Matvei Michkov. He is seen by a lot of people as the second-best player in the entire draft (only behind Connor Bedard, of course). His pure ability is something that is really hard to pass up.

The problem is that he is signed long-term in the KHL which might make it where it takes a while for him to come over and play with whatever team drafts him. There is also that chance that he decides to never come and then an NHL team wasted a top-five pick.

Michkov just might be worth the risk. We have seen players from that league come over in their mid-20s and just start dominating in the NHL. The latest example is Kirill Kaprizov who the Minnesota Wild thought they’d never get over at one point. Now he is their best player.

If the Blackhawks aren’t getting Bedard, that also means that they aren’t going to be good for a long time anyway.

If they had to wait for Michkov, it isn’t like the team isn’t going to be very good until he arrives anyway so they would seriously consider him. If they were able to just insert him into the lineup as they are ready to compete, that would obviously be very nice for them.

Home/Chicago Blackhawks