NHL 2023 Mock Draft: Blackhawks lead a generational year

Pick Four could make one NHL team look very smart in the distant future.

Drafting Matvei Michkov is a risky move. He is a Russian player that is signed with his KHL club for a few more years. You won’t be getting him on your team for the duration of his contract there and you can’t say with 100 percent certainty that he will come over at all.

However, there is a very good chance that he does come over just like all of the Russian players that came before him.

A team like the San Jose Sharks, who are just truly starting their rebuild process, might look really smart dropping Michkov into their lineup on an entry-level deal three years from now (if they are smart during those three years).

Based on talent and pure skill, he could challenge Fantilli for the second overall pick in this draft. There are even people out there who have him on a similar level as Bedard. How can you let a player like this fall to four?

Time will tell if taking him was a good idea or not but the Sharks really should not let this kid slip through their hands.