Just when we thought the NHL offseason would be quiet, boom, Matvei Michkov ends up in a car accident in Dubai. The 19-year-old Flyers phenom was reportedly involved in a crash while on vacation, and the internet wasted no time panicking. But before fans start spiraling, here’s the real story: Michkov’s fine, he wasn’t behind the wheel, and the whole situation might be messier for the rental company than for him.
Matvei Michkov was in a car accident in Dubai, but he wasn’t behind the wheel
It all started when Russian journalist Alexey Shevchenko reported that Michkov had been involved in a car crash in Dubai. A photo of the totaled car began circulating online, registered under Michkov’s name, no less. But before the rumor mill could run wild, multiple sources quickly confirmed he wasn’t driving. According to NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Jordan Hall, Michkov was simply riding shotgun.
Michkov’s legal team wasted no time clearing things up. His attorney, Shuk al-Kathiri, confirmed that Matvei didn’t drink, wasn’t tested for alcohol, and, most importantly, wasn’t responsible for the crash. The driver was reportedly a friend, and fully sober during the incident. “There are no legal questions for Michkov,” the lawyer clarified, adding that under UAE law, Michkov is totally in the clear.
Things got shady when the rental company allegedly tried to extort Matvei Michkov
Now here’s where the story turns into a Netflix drama. Al-Kathiri accused the rental company of illegally holding the passports of Michkov and his friend and allegedly trying to extort $100,000 to keep the story out of the media. The lawyer didn’t hold back, calling out the company for manipulating the situation and trying to shake down the Russian NHL star. Thankfully, reports from trusted outlets eased everyone’s nerves, he’s unharmed, in no legal trouble, and just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Neither Michkov nor the Flyers have made any public statements yet, but that hasn’t stopped fans from rallying around him online.What looked like a scary headline turned out to be a strange and slightly shady situation that he got pulled into while on vacation.
Also read - NHL fines Max Domi $5,000 but backlash erupts as fans call player safety biased against certain teams
Matvei Michkov was in a car accident in Dubai, but he wasn’t behind the wheel
It all started when Russian journalist Alexey Shevchenko reported that Michkov had been involved in a car crash in Dubai. A photo of the totaled car began circulating online, registered under Michkov’s name, no less. But before the rumor mill could run wild, multiple sources quickly confirmed he wasn’t driving. According to NBC Sports Philadelphia’s Jordan Hall, Michkov was simply riding shotgun.
According to Alexey Shevchenko from "Sport-Express," Matvey Michkov was involved in an accident while on vacation in Dubai. The photo shows the car that was rented in Michkov's name. Per source, Matvey was not driving the vehicle #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/jxHOCsrhZY
— Daria Tuboltseva (@DariaTuboltseva) May 13, 2025
Michkov’s legal team wasted no time clearing things up. His attorney, Shuk al-Kathiri, confirmed that Matvei didn’t drink, wasn’t tested for alcohol, and, most importantly, wasn’t responsible for the crash. The driver was reportedly a friend, and fully sober during the incident. “There are no legal questions for Michkov,” the lawyer clarified, adding that under UAE law, Michkov is totally in the clear.
Flyers are aware of this, but I'm told no one was hurt and confirmed Michkov was not driving the car https://t.co/Agygmv1SlI
— Kevin Kurz (@KKurzNHL) May 13, 2025
Things got shady when the rental company allegedly tried to extort Matvei Michkov
Now here’s where the story turns into a Netflix drama. Al-Kathiri accused the rental company of illegally holding the passports of Michkov and his friend and allegedly trying to extort $100,000 to keep the story out of the media. The lawyer didn’t hold back, calling out the company for manipulating the situation and trying to shake down the Russian NHL star. Thankfully, reports from trusted outlets eased everyone’s nerves, he’s unharmed, in no legal trouble, and just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. Neither Michkov nor the Flyers have made any public statements yet, but that hasn’t stopped fans from rallying around him online.What looked like a scary headline turned out to be a strange and slightly shady situation that he got pulled into while on vacation.
Also read - NHL fines Max Domi $5,000 but backlash erupts as fans call player safety biased against certain teams
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