Ilya Mikheyev

January 2021 – As expected, Mikheyev has fully recovered from his wrist injury in time for the 2020-21 campaign has has remained a mainstay in the Maple Leafs top-nine and on the PK. His tendency to accept low-danger opportunities and not always have the awareness to identify high-danger options still limits his upside and may even make it prohibitive to play him with the top stars, but he remains a useful multi-cat fantasy option for years to come. Locked into the lineup and on his second contract, he no longer deserves the status of “prospect”. Hayden Soboleski

January 2020 – After a fairytale transition to the NHL, Mikheyev has unfortunately suffered lacerated tendons and arteries in his wrist and will miss at least 3 months of action. His 23 points in 39 games played up to that point marked an extremely successful rookie campaign, which was culminating with appearances on the second line, as a regular on the penalty kill, and sometimes the second powerplay unit. His good SOG totals and ok hits totals make him a worthy add in various short-term and long-term leagues. He can occasionally suffer from tunnel vision which currently limits his offensive ceiling, but he has all the tools to continue being a point-producing middle-six forward with upside. Hayden Soboleski

October 2019 – As was hoped upon his signing, Mikheyev has earned himself an NHL spot on the Leafs to start the season. The transition from Russia can be a hard one, but he made it an easy decision in pre-season thanks to his smart ply with and without the puck. He was able to protect himself in the offensive zone without a problem, and laid a couple hits of his own to show off a nastier edge than many expected.  He projects to start the year on the 3rd line and could begin producing moderate points and hits right away for your fantasy squads. Hayden Soboleski

May 2019 – Mikheyev has signed a one-year entry level contract with the Maple Leafs. Mikheyev is capable of jumping straight to the NHL but the Leafs have a good amount of forward depth, so it remains to be seen if he can earn a spot on their roster in the fall.  Jokke Nevalainen

November 2018 – Mikheyev is arguably the best free agent in Europe this season. His KHL contract expires in the spring, and there should be plenty of NHL interest at that point. The 24-year-old winger is a dual threat because he can both make plays and finish them. He has good acceleration and good top speed. His hockey sense is very good as well. He does a good job using his size to protect the puck and win puck-battles along the boards. He can also throw the occasional hit but isn’t known for that style of play. Defensively, he uses his hockey smarts for good defensive reads. He’s a good back-checker, and a capable penalty-killer as well. Mikheyev’s counting stats in the KHL may not look all that impressive but he plays for a low-scoring team, and he’s arguably the best offensive player on the Omsk roster.  Jokke Nevalainen