Kevin Weekes' Michkov report has fans pitching a blockbuster: Matvei Michkov to the Blackhawks for Artyom Levshunov and Sacha Boisvert.
Michkov and the Flyers visit the Oilers tonight, with the trade chatter still loud around the 21-year-old center.
Weekes reported Tuesday that Matvei Michkov prefers a fresh start elsewhere, and the question has followed Philadelphia into tonight's game.
Here is the proposal. Chicago gets Michkov. Philadelphia gets Levshunov and Boisvert, who went second and 18th overall in the Blackhawks' 2024 first round.
It is a hypothetical, not a reported negotiation, and nobody has said the teams have talked. But it is the kind of package a team in Philadelphia's position would have to at least read twice.
Michkov has 10 goals in 20 games this season, five of them on the power play. He is also a -11, and the Flyers sit 27th in the NHL at 5-10-5.
Rick Tocchet and Michkov both addressed the trade talk today, according to Ryan Rishaug, and Michkov's answer on whether he is happy in Philadelphia did not end the conversation.
Who says no to Michkov for Levshunov and Boisvert?
Chicago does, and quickly. The Blackhawks are 4-13-1, have lost six straight and are 0-8-1 on the road, including a 9-2 loss at Carolina on Saturday.
Their problem is 76 goals against, not a lack of a 21-year-old scorer. Shipping out a 6'2, 210-pound defenseman to fix it would make the actual hole bigger.
Levshunov has just 3 points and a -12 in 18 games this season, and his struggles are real. But he is 21, went second overall, and has 104 NHL games behind him. Moving that kind of player for a forward who reportedly wants a different address is a bad trade.
Michkov's entry-level deal, worth under $1 million a year, also expires after this season, and he will be a restricted free agent. So would Levshunov, but at least Chicago knows what its draft pick feels about playing there.
Philadelphia is the team that listens. It gets a young defenseman and a first-round center in Boisvert, though he has played only 7 NHL games and none this season. Its offense, 45 goals through 20 games, would take a hit.
Michkov has 56 goals in 181 career games, and a player with that production does not get moved for a pair of question marks. The Flyers would want a better return than this.
The Flyers face the Oilers tonight, and Chicago hosts Buffalo on Thursday. Neither team has publicly acknowledged any of this.
Quick hits
PITTSBURGH PENGUINS: Yaroslav Askarov is between the pipes for the Sharks tonight against Pittsburgh, according to a RotoWire report. The Penguins get a San Jose team that has made its goalie call.
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CALGARY FLAMES: Sam Honzek has been activated off injured reserve and assigned to the Calgary Wranglers, per Ryan Pike, citing the AHL website. The Flames visit the Rangers.
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VEGAS GOLDEN KNIGHTS: Vegas has tweaked its blue line for Utah. Parker Wotherspoon is expected back on defense, according to the morning skate lines.
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ANAHEIM DUCKS: Coach Joel Quenneville says Ian Moore "could be playing by the end of the week," per Derek_Lee27. That is a quick turnaround for the Ducks.
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EDMONTON OILERS: Matthew Savoie will play a few games in the minors, according to coach Mike Babcock, as relayed by Ryan Rishaug. A short stint down for a player Edmonton clearly still has plans for.
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This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence, based on public reports and official sources.
Should the Blackhawks trade Artyom Levshunov and Sacha Boisvert for Matvei Michkov?
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