The complicated situation involving Matvei Michkov and Philadelphia Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet reached a boiling point last Monday night. The Flyers’ first-year coach scratched Michkov, whose role with the team had diminished significantly.
That’s not news. Michkov had a bit of a rough time under John Tortorella and continued to see some difficulties under Tocchet. But as Kevin Kurz noted in The Athletic, it’s been an adjustment process for the former seventh-overall pick.
Kurz is right in underscoring the fact that Michkov came up in a completely different culture. That culture may clash with the team-first mentality that Tocchet preaches. Successful coaches, like Tocchet, focus on the roles each player has on the team. It doesn’t matter if a player is an undrafted guy who made the team or a first-overall pick.
Everyone has a role, and Michkov, seemingly, has not adjusted to his. That’s why the 21-year-old shouldn’t play again this postseason. Now is not the time for the Flyers to experiment with a young forward looking to find his place in the NHL.
Either he gets it, or he can sit until next season and take the summer to figure out his role. The Flyers are already at risk of giving up a 3-0 series lead. All the worry can go away with a win on Wednesday night against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
Now, it seems that Michkov will be back in the lineup for Game 6 against the Penguins. If so, well, that’s up to Tocchet to decide. Perhaps the one-game hiatus might be enough to send a message.
Tocchet, however, cannot continue sheltering Michkov. If the Flyers are serious about advancing in the 2026 Stanley Cup playoffs, the best path forward might be to give Michkov time to regroup.
Flyers hope that Tocchet can save Michkov
One of the conversations throughout this season is the possibility of trading Michkov. That’s a bit of a wild idea. It might be too soon to give up on Michkov, considering his high-end skills. That’s why, according to Kurz, the idea of bringing Tocchet in appealed to the Flyers organization.
The team hopes that Tocchet can save Michkov by helping him adapt to the NHL, and, in particular, playoff hockey.
This video shows what the Flyers were up against when they chose to bring Michkov into the fold.
“First time I heard that I was like WHAT?!”
— Spittin' Chiclets (@spittinchiclets) July 22, 2025
Michkov couldn’t believe throwing the puck away to go battle for it the first time he heard about the dump & chase 😂 pic.twitter.com/3msBkzXWqI
What Michkov apparently doesn’t get is what playoff hockey is all about. The NHL is a grinding league. While we can’t say the same for other leagues around the world, the NHL chews up and spits out players during the postseason.
The teams that get it have strong playoff runs. Teams that struggle with the grind of playoff hockey may find themselves out of it early on.
While it might be a little premature to trade Michkov, the Flyers had better give him a breather. Perhaps he needs to sit and watch the way playoff hockey works in North America. Otherwise, he may need to find himself another team or system that aligns with his individual playing style.
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