Matvei Michkov’s second season hasn’t gotten off to as good a start as the Philadelphia Flyers had hoped. After scoring 63 points (26 goals, 37 assists) as a rookie, expectations were high that the Russian winger would continue his rise.
Through the first 32 games, that hasn’t exactly been the case, as Michkov has registered just 18 points (eight goals, 10 assists) while seeing his ice time drop by a full two minutes, to 14:41 per game.
The 2023 first-round pick (seventh overall) certainly hasn’t had it easy, going from John Tortorella to Rick Tocchet as his first two head coaches in Philadelphia. That said, taking four months off from hockey this offseason certainly didn’t help his cause, and it shows on the ice at times.
While Michkov has been at the center of the conversation surrounding the Flyers, team reporter Charlie O’Connor recently spoke with general manager Daniel Briere about the young star’s development and what he needs to do to earn more opportunities.
Briere said:
“Well, you have to earn it. It’s like money in the bank, and I think Torts talked about that last year, Rick Tocchet and John Tortorella, they don’t coach one player. They have a full team to coach… What does he have to do? I think this offseason will be crucial for Matvei. But I really believe he’s learned a lot, and I’m confident he’ll keep getting better and better,”
The 21-year-old is in the second season of his three-year, $2.85 million entry-level contract, signed with the Flyers in 2024.
Flyers in a difficult situation with Matvei Michkov
While you have to think it would make more sense to let Michkov go and learn by experiencing all the different scenarios that come with being a top player, it’s not that simple for Philadelphia.
Surprisingly, the Flyers currently hold the third seed in the Metropolitan Division, and every game matters in the ever-changing Eastern Conference standings.
If they’re so concerned that Michkov will make a defensive mistake or a costly turnover, then the hesitation to release him is understandable. That said, this squad has undoubtedly overachieved so far this season, and at some point they will have to rely on their most offensively gifted player to shoulder more responsibility.
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