Matvei Michkov was supposed to be one of the Philadelphia Flyers' top point producers in 2025-26, but through 26 games, he has just 16 points and eight goals. He's on pace for about 50 points and 25 goals, a regression from a rookie season when he ended the year with 26 goals and 63 points.
His gaudy numbers in 2024-25 landed him in fourth place for the Calder Trophy, and set the stage for a bigger role in 2025-26. This season so far has been a disappointment for Michkov, despite his recent productivity outburst across the last five games, where he has six points and three goals.
While sophomore slumps are common in the NHL, there is still a reason to be concerned about Michkov's play, especially with the changes going on with the Flyers this past summer. A good stretch of games in the past few weeks doesn't negate his poor performance so far this season.
There's a good chance this slump is related to Rick Tocchet. Tocchet's teams routinely don't shoot the puck often, and that means fewer chances for Michkov and the team. There's also a chance that Michkov isn't as great of a fit in Tocchet's system as he was with former coach John Tortorella.
Sophomore slump or something more?
There may be a few reasons Matvei Michkov is floundering in a sophomore slump. Opponents may have caught onto Michkov's style of play, and he may need to adjust his game. When you're a rookie heading into the NHL, especially one with Michkov's caliber and productivity, you're a mystery to the other 31 teams. Once they play against you between two and four times, you're no longer a mystery, and opposing players know what to expect.
They will adjust their game to disrupt Michkov, and if he doesn't reciprocate the favor, then he will struggle. With his greater productivity over the past five games, Michkov could finally be making adjustments. If he keeps averaging at least a point per game or even close to, then it's a sign Michkov finally adjusted and is forcing opponents to answer to him once again.
Finally, another reason for Michkov's slow start to 2025-26 could just be general bad luck. Even the best players in hockey have a stretch of games, sometimes even as long as a quarter of a season, when they're just playing bad hockey. Michkov could be a good fit for Tocchet and could have stayed ahead of opponents, but his efforts didn't land him consistently on the stat sheet until recently.
Now is the opportune time for Matvei Michkov to step up
Injuries are piling up on the Flyers, with Tyson Foerster slated to miss two to three months and Cam York recently getting banged up. So, if Michkov is going to sustain his recent burst in production, now is the time.
At the time of his injury, Foerster led the Flyers in goals scored with 10 in 21 contests. He was the only player on the Flyers to get close to averaging a half-goal per game. Now that he's out, Michkov can level up and help curtail that loss.
Regardless of what caused Michkov's slow start and whether his recent productivity will keep going, nobody will remember it if he steps up and can be an unsung hero with Foerster out. We'll see if Michkov is up for the challenge and if he can gain some consistency.