If all goes according to plan, the Montreal Canadiens could soon have a major reinforcement on their team. Matvei Michkov, a Russian forward playing in the KHL, has been linked to an NHL team and the Canadiens appear to be the leading candidate. Michkov, who is expected to be selected in the fifth round of the upcoming NHL Entry Draft in Nashville, is currently under contract with SKA St. Petersburg through 2025-26. This means that even if he is selected by Montreal this summer, he will not be able to join the team until September 2026 at the earliest. However, things could take a different turn. According to Cedrick Gervais of <i>Marker.com</i>, an unexpected development could occur thanks to a recent announcement by the Washington Capitals. Russian journalist Daria Tuboltseva reported that Ivan Miroshnichenko, Washington's first-round pick for 2022, recently terminated his contract with Omsk Avangard in the KHL and will instead join the Capitals next season. Could this move pave the way for a quicker transition for Mishkov? It is possible that this will have an impact on his situation as well as other players in similar positions who are looking to start their careers in North America sooner rather than later. Of course, it will all depend on what happens in the draft and how Montreal decides to proceed once they've made their pick, but it's certainly worth keeping an eye on the impact that Mishkov could have if he joins the team next offseason instead of waiting three years. Either way, it looks like we'll have some exciting news coming out of Nashville in June, and only time will tell which teams will benefit the most from decisions made at that time. For now, one thing remains certain: Matvei Michkov could be part of the Canadiens' future sooner rather than later and all Montreal fans should pay attention!