Erik Johnson can relate to Matvei Michkov.
He knows what it’s like to jump into the NHL at 19 years old, carrying the pressure of being a touted draft pick.
Now 36, Johnson was once that teenager. Drafted No. 1 overall by the Blues in 2006, he made his NHL debut over a year later after playing one season of college hockey at Minnesota.
And that’s why Johnson wants to be a resource for his new teammate, the 19-year-old phenom from Russia who is making his anticipated arrival to the Flyers two years earlier than expected.
“I’ve been doing my best to communicate with him via Instagram,” Johnson said Thursday, 10 days after he and Michkov signed their contracts. “With the translation tool, it has been pretty easy to do that. … Just trying to get him comfortable, any questions he has, I’m answering it for him.”
The transition for the 2023 seventh overall pick will be a different beast compared to Johnson’s when he debuted with St. Louis. Michkov will be learning English (the Flyers plan to provide him a tutor) and adjusting to North America, both on and off the ice. He’s coming from the KHL, Russia’s top pro league, in which some teams use the international-sized rink, which is bigger.
“Even as an American guy breaking into the league as a 19-year-old like I did back in 2007, I was super nervous being around the old guys,” Johnson said. “Just being in a new city, a new country, a new language, new food, new everything — new rules, new ice sheet, all that, it’s super challenging and I can’t imagine how difficult it would be for a young kid like Matvei coming over from Russia, just a new experience for him.”
Johnson and Michkov are both represented by CAA Hockey. They’ve exchanged phone numbers and will soon be on the ice together at Flyers Training Center. But for now, the translation tool on Instagram has come in handy.
“I’m here for him in anyway he needs and helping acclimate to Philly, to the NHL,” Johnson said. “Whether he needs a ride or needs recommendations for where to eat on the road, has questions about how practice is run, how things are going on with meetings, the schedule, all of that. He knows that I’m here for him to answer any questions and I’m excited to work with him. He’s a high-end package, tons of skill and it looks like Philly has a great one on their hands for a long time.”
