Matvei Michkov has been the subject of a lot of offseason conjecture. Would he be traded? Will he be re-signed? Was it a sophomore slump? Was his rookie season a fluke? Do we need him now that we have Porter Martone?
And now arriving just before training camp, Michkov looks like a whole different person. He's had a taste of success, a sampling of difficulty with criticism coming from the fans, coaches, and commentators alike, and experienced the NHL playoffs for the first time.
Now he looks hungry, and I don't mean because he has dropped 30 pounds of weight. He looks leaner and ready to prove that he deserves a big pay day, like the one Daniel Briere was willing to give to Leo Carlsson. He also looks determined not to be relegated to a bottom-six role again.
Time for a Restart
In his first season, Michkov lit up the NHL with 25 goals and 37 points for a team that didn't make the playoffs. He finished fourth in the Calder Trophy balloting and many felt that he was snubbed.
But he didn't replicate the same stats in year two. He came to camp out of shape. Yes, he scored 20 goals, but his assists were only 31. Overall, that was a 12 point overall drop from the year before. It also led to him being dropped from the top two lines, as well as serving several games as a healthy scratch.
That's in the past now. Michkov is looking fast and strong. It's unsure if he'll be on the left or right wing or who will center him. However, if he has a healthy year and can play as well as he's looking, a 30 goal /60 point season is not out the question. And if he is scoring that much, there is no question that the players around him (Travis Konencny? Owen Tippett? Tyson Foerster? Martone?) will also have monster seasons.
And if other players are having monster seasons, that means that this team could be playoff bound, despite what the other teams in the Metropolitan Division did this offseason. The best thing the Flyers did this past offseason could just be that they got older and more refined.
However, it starts with Michkov. He is one of the keys to this year. If he is improved, the Flyers will have a great season. Philly's success doesn't fall solely on him, but a great season from him will help out immensely.
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