Matvei Michkov started the year off without any points for his home club, SKA St. Petersburg, before being sent to the team’s developmental club just three games into the season. Michkov went for more than a point-per-game there, before earning a loan to another KHL club — albeit the worst one in the league.
Now, not only is Michkov helping that last-place team, he’s powering them to victories. The last two times Sochi won — a 3-1 victory on Feb. 20 and a 7-2 victory on Feb. 11 — Michkov tallied four points, including two goals.
In 66 games, HK Sochi has won just nine games, Four of those victories came in Michkov’s 25 games with the team (a 16 percent win rate, significantly better than the 12.