Russian Superstars Face Off in Flyers vs. Capitals

The Philadelphia Flyers and Washington Capitals' matchup will feature a matchup of two Russian superstars.

Jacob Punturi | Oct 22, 2024

Oct 15, 2024; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Washington Capitals left wing Alex Ovechkin (8) shoots the puck as Vegas Golden Knights center Brett Howden (21) defends in the first period at Capital One Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

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The Washington Capitals and Philadelphia Flyers always team up for exciting hockey. That's just the expectation playing in the Metropolitan Division, where rivalries run deep. But this year, the Flyers and Capitals drama gets a new spin.

The Flyers welcomed a new building block to their organization this season, with Russian winger Matvei Michkov signing his entry-level contract with the team. He joined just a year after being the seventh overall selection in the 2023 NHL Draft, but at 19 he's already brimming with superstar potential. This game marks the first time Michkov will get to play against his fellow countrymen and likely idol, Alexander Ovechkin.

In many ways, Michkov is the spiritual successor to Ovechkin. Both were terrific as teenagers in the KHL and look to continue the Russian tradition of hockey excellence in the NHL.

MIchkov is a nothing like Ovi on the ice. Ovi is a huge presence, standing at 6'3 while Michkov gives up roughly five inches at 5'10. But the thing that makes them so similar is their magnetic attraction to the puck. Whether it's finding the perfect seam to sit in for a pass or being in the exact right spot for a rebound follow up, both players are always in the best position possible to make a play on the puck. It's no surprise then when they are scoring and assisting on goals so often.

For Ovechkin, it's a chance to show who is the premier Russian player in the world. Ovi may be reaching the end of one of the best hockey careers ever, but he's still dangerous on every shift. He's seeking the all-time goal scoring record this season, and at 39 years old he could accomplish a feat thought to be impossible: pass Wayne Gretzky.

There's no doubting these players will have a mutual respect for each other, much like how Ovechkin and Evgeni Malkin of the Pittsburgh Penguins do. It's a comradarie that being from the same country provides. But when the game starts, that falls away and the rivalry on the ice takes over. This might be an early season divisional matchup for the Flyers and Caps, but the battle of generational Russian players is sure to be the story of the game.

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Published Oct 22, 2024

JACOB PUNTURI