Just when you thought the Flyers had hit rock bottom, it turns out there is further down they could go. Kevin Weekes' bombshell threw the entire fanbase into frenzied chaos. And understandably so, because the biggest fear Flyers fans have had is that the organization would drive Matvei Michkov away.
The Flyers' disappointing start to the season has opened the door to criticism from all angles. There's the play on the ice, which often looks lifeless and like a team that lacks confidence. And there's the off-ice drama, which is even louder. Players seemingly firing shots at each other through the media and a coach with a history of doing the same. Add those together, and it's a breeding ground for a team ready to explode.
Flyers are ready to explode
Getting into the crux of everything that happened involving Michkov would take a lifetime, and there's enough out there that explains it all. The most recent situation that has seemingly brought everything to a head happened in the Flyers' win over the Canucks, between Michkov and Nick Seeler. This goes along with Seeler's recent comments about the team needing to play as one rather than as individuals.
More specifically, Seeler's exact phrase using the words 'me, me, me' has led many to believe that they were directed at Michkov. It won't be confirmed, but it's easy to see the connection. Therein lies the next problem. Not only do you seemingly have player versus coach, but now you seemingly have player versus player as well.
Michkov, along with Porter Martone, are the clear faces of the Flyers' rebuild. The future of the franchise rests largely on the shoulders of two players who haven't even reached their true ceilings yet. But none of that matters if the organization cannot get out of its own way. The consequences of their actions, or lack thereof, have blown up in their faces.
As many sources have mentioned, Michkov has not formally requested a trade, and the Flyers were shocked at the news. Whether or not they truly were is up for debate, but that's far from the point. The Flyers can ill afford to be in this position regardless of the outcome. They simply aren't talented enough, let alone close to being any type of contender in this league.
They lack enough potential high-end talent to make up for this. Michkov accounts for over 30 percent of the Flyers' offense. After his 10 goals, Trevor Zegras is the next closest player with 4. Michkov has even done his best to make the team's power play presentable, accounting for seven points on the man advantage. Taking him out of the equation has rather catastrophic effects on the offense.
They don't have the defensive structure to consistently play a prevent style, even when they are winning. And because the young players don't appear to have the confidence of the coaching staff to close out games, this falls squarely on the veterans who should know better. The culture the team believed they fixed with John Tortorella is back to square one. And who's to say that Michkov's potential thoughts or feelings don't bleed into some of the other Flyers' youth?
If the team's franchise cornerstone is fed up with the direction the team is going, why wouldn't someone like Martone start to question things? That is speculation, but is it really outside the realm of possibility? He and Michkov have developed a clear bond and have the chemistry on the ice that should have the Flyers salivating at their potential. Everything needs to be on the table for them right now. They need to be thinking of not only the facts, but the possible implications of their next moves.
Regardless of what their next step is, things won't be the same. Allowing it to get this far to begin with shows that Danny Briere and company were more than okay with how things were trending before this news. And that's a huge problem in and of itself. The foundation of the rebuild might be on shaky ground, and that would threaten to crumble the work of the last few years.
If the Flyers are back at square one, the consequences are infinite. They have already lost more than just the goodwill from last season. The fanbase's growing apathy and demands for change are louder and louder by the second. There are far more questions than answers. But there is one that is the most important of them all.
If the relationship between Michkov and the organization is deteriorating, how can anyone believe that the Flyers know what they are doing? And that is what they should be most worried about.
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