What’s next for the Flyers and Matvei Michkov?
It hasn’t been a great season for Philadelphia Flyers sophomore forward Matvei Michkov. After a 63-point rookie campaign, Michkov has struggled all season long with just 28 points.
Much has been made of his relationship with head coach Rick Tocchet, as the bench boss has used Michkov sparingly on the ice. More gasoline was added to the situation over the weekend, as Tocchet appeared on both the Snow the Goalie and PHLY podcasts during a Flyers charity event and received questions about Michkov’s usage this season. Alluding to Michkov showing up to camp out of shape on both shows, Tocchet only added to the speculation that there could be trouble in paradise with the 2023 seventh overall pick.
Speaking with a team source Monday morning, I was told the situation isn’t great for everyone involved. The root of the problem can be narrowed down to Michkov starting behind the proverbial 8-ball physically; though fans may not want to hear it, it is the primary reason for the issues Michkov has faced this year.
Especially in the compressed season we are currently in due to the upcoming Winter Olympics, there is very little time to get in the gym and catch up physically. Even as Michkov gets in better shape, the players around him continue to stay ahead of the curve, having gotten a head start and spent time improving their conditioning. This isn’t exclusive to Michkov, mind you; we have seen it happen with players who have held out during contract negotiations.
Boston Bruins goaltender Jeremy Swayman had a brutal season last year after a contract holdout that kept him out through training camp; Toronto Maple Leafs forward William Nylander experienced the same fate back in 2018 after he didn’t resolve his contractual issues until late November. Especially as a crown jewel in the Flyers’ rebuild, Michkov has a responsibility to show up in shape to hit the ground running.
All this being said, I don’t think Tocchet’s usage of Michkov has helped the situation by any stretch. Yes, Tocchet has 22 other players to coach and can’t play favorites, but I have never bought into the notion that all players should be coached to the same standard. Michkov is objectively one of the top three players on the team in terms of skill; for Tocchet not to cater to him a little during a struggling time is questionable.
This is not to say that Michkov should be perpetually on the top line or stapled to the top power play unit, but something as simple as playing him on his natural (right) wing or not having him glued to the offensively-limited (and now fourth line center) Sean Couturier has been an unforced error by Tocchet, in my opinion. Again, this is not to say that Michkov should get preferential treatment when he is objectively playing substandard hockey, but there are ways to help a player of such talent get out of a funk rather than consistent tough love.
Additionally, it isn’t as if Michkov has had offensively gifted centers to play off of since his arrival in North America in 2024, though this is not something Tocchet is to blame for.
Tocchet has gotten a bit of a bad rap for his handling of young players, dating back to his stints with the Arizona Coyotes and the Vancouver Canucks. This can be applied to his usage of Michkov, though it can be countered with the recent positive developments of forwards Denver Barkey and Nikita Grebenkin.
This is a classic situation where both things can be true: Michkov not showing up in shape, and Tocchet leaning into a tough-love approach. I don’t think panic is setting in quite yet, but there is a sense that things need to shift on both sides to make everyone happy. A tough sophomore season for Michkov is not the end of the world – the priority now needs to be that it doesn’t spill into the 2026-27 campaign.
Flyers not expecting a busy trade deadline
As GM Danny Briere recently alluded to on a 97.5 The Fanatic radio appearance, the Flyers are not expecting a busy trade deadline. With the Flyers well out of a playoff spot, Briere said they are in no position to give up assets for a rental.
Speaking with a source Monday, I do think the backup goaltending position is something the Flyers have earmarked for the offseason. Samuel Ersson (RFA at season’s end) has continued to struggle this season and, by the sounds of it, it appears that the Flyers are finally prepared to explore outside options. Additionally, Aleksei Kolosov (also an RFA this summer) is clearly not ready for the NHL.
As I suggested last week, I think Leafs goaltender Dennis Hildeby is a name the Flyers should target. The Flyers do like him, but there has been no indication that they will seriously pursue it, nor is there any sense that Toronto wants to move off of him.
The Flyers don’t have many rentals to move, as forwards Nicolas Deslauriers and Carl Grundstrom, along with defender Noah Juulsen, are the Flyers’ only pending UFAs. Any of the three would not command that much of a return via trade, I reckon.
As for defenseman Rasmus Ristolainen, while the Flyers are still open to moving him, there doesn’t appear to be much interest on the trade front. Under contract through next season at a $5.1 million AAV, Ristolainen’s struggle to stay healthy the last 24 months has certainly played a role in the lack of interest from other teams.
When healthy, his play has been that of a second-pair defenseman who brings size and physicality, but the best ability is availability, which has been a struggle for Ristolainen.