Flyers' odd Matvei Michkov situation gets some clarity

Having yet to record a point in the Philadelphia Flyers’ first three games, Kevin Kurz of The Athletic wrote about Matvei Michkov’s early-season struggles. The ultra-talented Russian has been lightly benched at times by new head coach Rick Tocchet. Although this may raise some eyebrows, there are reasons for this outside of his play alone, as noted by Kurz. 

Why is Matvei Michkov seeing less ice time?

Philadelphia broke into the win column on Monday, pulling away late from the defending champion Panthers. While such a triumph could be encouraging, it is key to mention that Florida opted to start backup goalie Daniil Tarasov. As the Flyers sit at a bit of a crossroads this season, trying to etch a new identity with a roster that finally offers real youth, the 20-year-old Russian is their biggest piece for the future. Michkov led all rookies in goals in 2024-25, with an impressive 63 points, all during a bit of a tumultuous season for the Black and Orange. 

Therefore, a scoreless first three games for Michkov isn’t ideal, along with falling ice time, down to 14:26. Interestingly, fellow young Russian Nikita Grebenkin appeared in Michkov’s place on a line with Sean Couturier and Travis Konecny in crunch time against Florida. However, Tocchet emphasized that the swap was primarily to reward Grebenkin, who has made an impression so far. 

Additionally, there are other factors which have worked against Michkov, painting a picture perhaps a bit misleading. Tocchet mentioned that he has been getting up to speed from an ankle ailment over the summer, along with the fact that the Flyers have been highly penalized, often keeping their young star off the ice. Finally, Tocchet is wanting to implement an approach of balancing up-and-down the lineup, as the club searches for their identity. The Flyers have made it clear that they will move into the future still leaning into their gritty playing style as always, but they will need to ensure it does not stunt the development of a potential offensive superstar. 

With all of this in mind, Tocchet’s utilization of Michkov will be interesting to monitor, but just three games in, it is still too soon to sound the alarms. With Michkov’s ability, it is likely just a matter of time.