Flyers Veterans Anticipate a Transformed Matvei Michkov at Training Camp

LAS VEGAS — What could only be described as a sophomore season from hell, Philadelphia Flyers winger Matvei Michkov was repeatedly criticized for being out of shape, had his ice time reduced, and spent most of the year firmly out of favor with head coach Rick Tocchet.

But what doesn’t break you makes you stronger — or in Michkov’s case, motivates him to prove everyone wrong.

“I imagine he’s going to come in with an edge, a little bit of an ‘F-U’ attitude honestly, after last year and all the heat,” Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale said at this week’s NHL Player Media Tour. “He’s got the tools, he’s got the knack. I’m looking forward to his year.”

In all fairness, Michkov’s season wasn’t as dire as it might have appeared on the surface. He scored 20 goals and tied for third on the team with 51 points in 81 games.

The issue is that after tying Macklin Celebrini with 63 points as a rookie, most anticipated Michkov would build on that success the way Celebrini did. Instead, like many young players, Michkov found it difficult to replicate his rookie-year production.

“The consistency is the hardest part,” said Philadelphia’s Trevor Zegras, who experienced his own consistency issues during his time in Anaheim. “That’s why when you look at a guy like Sidney Crosby or Alex Ovechkin being at their best every single year, you realize how impressive that really is.”

Part of the problem for Michkov was arriving at training camp in less-than-ideal shape, from which things spiraled.

Tocchet accepted some responsibility for Michkov’s struggles, telling The Athletic, “I was frustrated. I should have probably kept the remarks about him being out of shape — I had already said it four times; I don’t think I needed to say it a fifth time. As any coach, you learn a lesson. So, I would take that back.”

Still, the tough-love approach appears to have paid off for Michkov, who reportedly dropped 29 pounds and showed off a shredded physique in an Instagram post earlier this summer. In a shared interview, the 21-year-old credited a team coach who traveled to Russia to help him train and brought his body fat down to 10.6%.

“I’ve seen him. He looks good,” said Drysdale. “I think he had a lot of eyes on him last year, which doesn’t make life easier. So I think just a fresh reset for him and he’ll have a good year.”

Indeed, with Porter Martone now regarded as the Flyers’ top prospect, the expectations on Michkov may not be as intense as they were a year ago. The Flyers don’t need Michkov to be their top forward. That said, no one would be surprised if he led the team in scoring.

“He’s super young. He’s what, 21?” said Drysdale. “But yeah, he’s productive. You can’t really argue that. He’s productive and he’s got a knack for scoring and getting in areas, and he’s effective when it comes to that. He’s good at getting in on the rush with the puck and pulling up — he can make some elite, elite plays.”

Added Zegras: “It’s a tough league. I think it’s a good experience to feel that and to know that everyone in our organization has his back, top to bottom. It’s better to have that happen earlier than later, because he’s got a ton of skill, he loves the game, loves being on the ice, so it should be good.”

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