Not only has Michkov been less productive on the ice in Year 2, but his minutes have slowly decreased, and his relationship with new head coach Rick Tocchet appears to be growing more strained as the season wears on.
“I’ll be very frank… Matvei did not come into camp in shape,” Tocchet said when asked why Michkov played a season-low 10:21 on Saturday against the Los Angeles Kings. “And it’s hard to play yourself (into) shape… We’re trying to get him to that (next) level. How (do we) develop him? Practise, make sure that you’re on time for treatments and things like that. So much (goes) into that.”
But even with all that considered, Flyers general manager Daniel Brière made certain on Tuesday to clarify that Michkov hasn’t lost the organization’s support.
“One thing I can tell you is that Matvei Michkov is not going anywhere. Let’s make that clear,” Brière said while addressing reporters. “Matvei’s going to be here for a long time. He’s going to be a good player here for the Flyers. What he’s going through right now is all part of the learning process.”
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Through 53 games this season, Michkov has 13 goals and 15 assists — well below the 63-point pace he set in 2024-25 — and is averaging 14:32 of ice time per game, more than two minutes less than he averaged last year under John Tortorella.
And while Brière didn’t deny Tocchet’s comments about Michkov coming into camp out of shape, he did acknowledge that the 21-year-old is still adjusting to life in the NHL.
“Matvei arrived here, along with guys like Denver Barkey and Nikita Grebenkin. They’re learning to become better pros,” the GM explained. “You don’t know before you arrive to the NHL what it’s like on a daily basis and the grind and everything that’s attached to it.
“They’re learning, and that’s what Rick Tocchet is trying to teach them.”
Brière and the Flyers tabbed Tocchet as their new head coach this summer after the longtime Philadelphia forward parted ways with the Vancouver Canucks after three seasons behind the bench.
Things haven’t quite turned out as planned for either party, as the Flyers have fallen out of playoff contention and currently sit 14th in the Eastern Conference with 58 points.
Philadelphia has missed the playoffs in five consecutive seasons and is on track to take a step back in the points department for a second straight year.
Michkov appeared to be a potential building block when the Flyers drafted him seventh overall in the 2023 draft as an intriguing offensive talent from Russia.
“I said it a couple years ago, when Matvei arrived sooner than expected, we knew there would be some bumps along the way,” Brière said. “And that’s kind of what is happening.
“The other thing I can tell you, and I talk to Rick Tocchet on a daily basis, (is that) he wants Matvei to succeed. He wants to develop him to the best player he can be.”
While discussing the situation on the most recent episode of 32 Thoughts: The Podcast, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman speculated that the loss of defenceman Egor Zamula — who was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets earlier this season — has played a role in the disconnect between Michkov and the Flyers.
“One thing I wonder about: Zamula is not there anymore, and he was kind of like the Michkov sounding board,” Friedman said. “And I do wonder if that’s a factor, too. But you have to make this work. It’s too important.”
Brière went on to address the situation in the long-term view of the organization, saying that Tocchet “wants to be here for the long haul” and that the relationship between player and coach is better behind closed doors than it may appear.
“Sometimes they’re fiery. Sometimes, when you’re not winning, things are done and said, but they always come back to the table,” Brière shared.
“They want the best for this team, and Rick wants the best for Matvei.”
