Philadelphia Flyers rookie Matvei Michkov thought he was heading into the offseason with time to relax after a breakout year. Instead, he found himself caught in a bizarre legal mess during a trip to Dubai.
The 20-year-old forward, who led all NHL rookies with 26 goals and notched 60 points, ended up at the center of an extortion scandal involving a rental car company and his passport.
Michkov had flown to Russia after the Flyers missed the playoffs, then traveled to the United Arab Emirates for vacation. According to multiple reports, including a statement from his lawyer to Russian outlet MatchTV.ru, a car accident during the trip escalated into something far more serious.
Michkov wasn’t behind the wheel, and no one was hurt. But when the dust settled, the car rental company allegedly refused to return his passport and demanded a lot of money.
Court Sides With Michkov In UAE Passport Dispute
The trouble started after Michkov’s friend reportedly lost control of a rented vehicle in Dubai. The incident didn’t result in any injuries, and Flyers GM Danny Briere told The Athletic‘s Kevin Kurz that the team wasn’t concerned. “They’re both fine and won’t face any legal consequences,” Briere said, dismissing any long-term fallout from the crash.
"Matvei Michkov's lawyer Shouk Al Kathiri told Match TV that his client has won a court case against Sokol Car Rental L.L.C., which illegally withheld the hockey player's documents" https://t.co/QnVcrxTRmB pic.twitter.com/X40LiQog8f
— Uggg (@Uggg_uggg) May 15, 2025
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But the real headache came afterward. Michkov’s lawyer described a tense situation in which the rental agency, identified as Sokol Car Rental L.L.C, allegedly withheld the young star’s passport and demanded a significant payment in return. “Earlier, Michkov was the victim of an incident with a car service in the UAE,” the lawyer told MatchTV.ru. “The company took the hockey player’s foreign passport and extorted a significant amount in dollars.”
The case eventually made its way to a UAE court, which ruled in Michkov’s favor and ordered the immediate return of his passport. “No one has the right to withhold any personal documents,” the lawyer added. “The actions of the company were not only illegal, but also unreasonable in relation to our client.”
For Matvei Michkov, it’s a frustrating detour in what had been a wildly successful rookie campaign. He had quickly emerged as one of the league’s most electric young players and a bright spot for a rebuilding Flyers squad. Now, with the legal trouble behind him, Michkov will likely shift focus back to hockey and building on his promising start in the NHL.
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