I would think with the new developments in Russia this morning teams are calling to see if he wants out now and if he does someone in the top 5 will take him, possibly even the Habs.

There were rumblings about the ducks seriously considering Michkov now. I think it was mentioned on 32 thoughts

Rumblings stay Rumblings. I don't see any of the top 3 taking him, SJ, MTL, Zona have other options that are more worth it. If he doesn't go top 6, I could see a legitimate drop

I agree with you. Just saying it seems less clear than a week ago

He might want out, but if anything, he's more likely to be stuck there. Between his KHL contract and the potential for greater mobilization of young men into the military if the Wagner Group is disbanded (or slaughtered), my risk meter just went off the scale.

If he defects to the states his KHL contract isn't enforceable since there is no agreement in place between the KHL and NHL. That is another reason he likely just defects at this point, the risk of him being forced into military service is extremely higher than it was a week ago.

There is no transfer agreement, but there's an agreement to respect each others' contracts. I suspect the contract is only not enforceable if the KHL fails to start up in the fall because of domestic turmoil.

He won’t be available then. Caps decline

MTL aren’t trading up for Michkov, they are trading up Reinbacher or ASP

Man this is terrible. Habs fans keep saying it will cost the Sun, Moon, and Stars for the Capitals to move up three spots from 8th to 5th but you think the Capitals will move back from 8th to the Pittsburgh pick (14th) for Heineman (who is not on pace to be a 30PT anything in the NHL, he has only played 11 games of North American Pro Hockey and doesn’t look all that inspiring and is little more than a total prayer)? Yeah the Capitals aren’t going to touch that. That’s a horrible, **** package for a Top 10 Pick and is nowhere close to what that trade would cost.