Matvei Michkov continues to be a topic of conversation as the calendar turns toward September. The focus lately has been on when he will return to Philadelphia. And it's an understandable question, especially after last summer.
Fans want to see the work Michkov has put in after a season where the talk was more about his fitness level and potential relationship with Rick Tocchet. He didn't have a bad season by any means, but there wasn't a step forward that the Flyers surely hoped to see from him.
There is plenty of interest heading into Michkov's third NHL season. Everyone wants to see the improvement that can help take this Flyers team to the next level, and Michkov's further development is an important piece of that equation.
One of the biggest concerns last summer was that Michkov had seemingly taken too much time away from his training. He was behind the eight ball at training camp, and that's not an easy position to be in. Training continues throughout the season, of course, but much of that work is about maintaining what has already been built rather than building the initial foundation.
That's why the focus on when Michkov returns to Philadelphia puts too much emphasis on the calendar. It's not necessarily about when he gets back, especially when it's not clear how many of his teammates have returned at this point either.
It's about what he's doing before he gets there.
Matvei Michkov's return date isn't what matters most
Michkov's eventual return date to Philadelphia will inevitably be another talking point, but it's a bigger part of the conversation than it needs to be. It's a fair topic because last summer created legitimate concerns about his preparation. A date on the calendar is something tangible that fans can look at to see a noticeable difference. The problem is that it isn't necessarily the best thing to use to gauge the situation.
But being back in Philadelphia doesn't automatically mean that Michkov is ready. Nor does being in Russia for a few extra weeks mean that he isn't putting in the work. The success of his offseason won't be determined by when he walks through the doors of the Flyers training facility. There is much more to it than that.
There will always be value in spending the offseason around the organization. There's no argument there. Being around the team and getting acclimated is a valuable part of the process. But its value isn't determined by a specific date on the calendar.
And that doesn't make Philadelphia the only place where meaningful preparation can take place. His offseason work has already been well documented. The important takeaway, though, isn't about a single workout or training session. It's that Michkov appears to have approached this summer much differently than the last.
And ultimately, that is what matters more. If Michkov enters the season looking more polished and hits the ground running, his return date will be more of an afterthought. The importance will be placed on how Michkov came back ready to become a better player for the Flyers.
What will matter is whether the work he put in this summer translates when the games begin. If it does, nobody will care whether he returned to Philadelphia earlier or later than expected. They'll care that Michkov came back ready to perform. For one of the Flyers' most important players, that's the only answer that matters.
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