Flyers will have offseason of Matvei Michkov questions after another playoff healthy scratch

Even though it ended in disappointment with a second-round sweep at the hands of the Carolina Hurricanes, the 2025-26 season was an unexpected success for the Philadelphia Flyers. They snapped a six-year playoff drought, beat their biggest rival (the Pittsburgh Penguins) in the first round and saw some major development from a lot of key young players.

The one thing they might have some regrets over, and a situation that might produce an offseason full of questions and uncertainty, is the development of Matvei Michkov. 

Flyers will face a lot of Matvei Michkov questions this offseason

Michkov was a healthy scratch for the Flyers in their Game 4 loss on Saturday, making it the second time this postseason he was benched for a game. 

While the decision by head coach Rick Tocchet was not completely without its merits (Michkov has struggled in the playoffs), it is still an eye-opening development given how much the Flyers have invested in Michkov and how much they are relying on him.

After selecting him with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, Michkov arrived in Philadelphia far sooner than expected for the start of the 2024-25 season and came with massive hype. The hope was that he could arrive and become a go-to offensive force at the top of their lineup. Over the first two years of his career, he has shown flashes of that potential and scored 20 goals in each of his first two seasons. 

But for as promising as his rookie season was, the 2025-26 season seemed to be a step backwards in terms of both his production and his usage. There were some concerns early this season about his conditioning, leading to reduced ice time, while Tocchet (a defensive-minded coach) never seemed to be fully thrilled with Michkov's style of play or work away from the puck. 

Now that he sat out two games in the playoffs, that is only going to fuel discussion as to what his future with the Flyers might be. 

Has the organization soured on him?

Has the coaching staff soured on him?

Is this just all part of the development of a young player?

What will his 2026-27 look like?

The Flyers should not even consider moving him unless it is part of a package for a star-level player, and he should still be a big part of their future. The talent is immense, and they need high-level players with his upside. They just need to find a way to bring it out consistently. Especially for moments like this in the playoffs.