The Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers always work together for exciting hockey. That’s to be expected when playing in the heavily rivalry Metropolitan Division. But this year, the drama between the Flyers and Capitals takes a new turn.
The Flyers welcomed a new piece to their organization this season, with Russian winger Matvey Mitchkov signing an entry-level contract with the team. He joins the organization just one year after being selected seventh overall in the 2023 NHL Draft, but the 19-year-old already has superstar potential. This fight will be the first time Mitchkov will face his compatriot and perhaps idol Alexander Ovechkin.
In many ways, Michkov is Ovechkin’s spiritual successor. Both were great as teenagers in the KHL, and both hope to continue Russia’s tradition of hockey excellence in the NHL.
Michkov looks nothing like Ovi on the ice. Ovi has a huge presence at 6-foot-3, while Michkov gives up about five inches at 5-foot-10. But what they are very similar in is their magnetic attraction to the puck. Whether it’s finding the perfect seam to sit on for a pass or being in exactly the right spot for a rebound follow-up, both players are always in the best possible position to play with the puck. It’s no surprise that they score and assist goals so often.
For Ovechkin, this is a chance to prove who is the best Russian player in the world. Ovi may be nearing the end of one of the greatest careers in hockey history, but he’s still dangerous on any shift. He is looking to break the all-time scoring record this season and could accomplish what was once thought to be an impossible feat, passing Wayne Gretzky at age 39.
There’s no question that these players respect each other, much like Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins. There is a sense of camaraderie that comes from being from the same country. But once the game starts, that goes away and the competition on the ice takes over. This may be an early-season divisional matchup between the Flyers and Caps, but there’s no doubt that the story of this game will be a battle between generations of Russian players.
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