Matvei Michkov adapted to North American hockey after moving from the KHL, encountering a style focused on dump-and-chase play. He finds this strategy exhausting and ineffective, stating that chasing lost pucks leaves players with little energy for offensive plays. Michkov emphasizes the importance of maintaining puck possession to create better scoring opportunities. His perspective reflects a common challenge faced by players transitioning from European leagues that prioritize puck control over aggressive forechecking techniques.
"So you're supposed to just dump it in, cross the red line, rim it around the boards, and run to fight for it. First time I heard that, I was like, 'What?' But I was like, 'Yeah, yeah, sure,' then I'd hit the ice and still kind of do my own thing. I'm not a fan of dump-and-chase hockey."
"If you dump it in, now you've gotta go battle for it. First off, there's no guarantee you're even gonna win that puck back. Second, it's exhausting hockey. You burn so much energy battling for the puck that you've got nothing left for the actual attack."
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