Ladies and gentlemen, the eagle has landed.

Or, rather, the Flyer has landed.

Prized Philadelphia Flyers prospect Matvei Michkov officially arrived in the United States Tuesday morning. Michkov, dressed in Flyers gear and sporting a Phillies cap, was greeted at the airport by general manager Daniel Briere and president of hockey operations Keith Jones.

The Russian phenom hinted at his imminent arrival to the U.S. Monday morning, posting a photo of himself sitting on an airplane to his Instagram story. Kevin Kurz of The Athletic later reported Michkov would arrive in the Philadelphia area sometime Tuesday.

Michkov’s early arrival to North America is a welcome — and crucial — development for the Flyers. The 19-year-old, selected with the No. 7 overall pick of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, originally was not expected to leave his home country until the expiration of his KHL contract in 2026. In June, though, Michkov reached an agreement to terminate the remaining two years of his deal, allowing him to bring his talents to the NHL.

He signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Flyers on July 1.

Michkov joins the Flyers as arguably the most important figure in the organization. The centerpiece of the club’s ongoing rebuild, Michkov will be under the microscope the very moment he makes his first on-ice appearance. However, his production in Russia suggests he’s more than worthy of such lofty expectations. He registered 19 goals and 41 points in 48 games in the KHL as a teenager last season, falling just two points shy of breaking the league’s all-time scoring record by a player under the age of 20. As a 16-year-old, he also became the youngest player ever to suit up for Russia’s national team.

Michkov is an exceptional talent, and while history says he may get off to a slow start in the NHL, his arrival marks the beginning of a new and exciting chapter in Flyers history.