On Nov. 5, the Philadelphia Flyers were dealt a hard 3-2 loss to the New York Rangers. The Flyers were leading 2-1 heading into the third period, so it seemed like things were going to head in Philly's favor. With 20 minutes left, the Rangers scored twice, a power-play goal tied the game, and one at 5-on-5 broke the tie.
In 18 games for the Flyers to start the 2026-27 National Hockey League (NHL) season, the Flyers' current record is 4-10-4. It is clear that Philadelphia hasn't had a good start to the season. However, this game against the Rangers could result in their fifth win of the season.
There are plenty of arguments that could be made as to why the Flyers are having a rough start to the season, but in this game against New York, it is Rick Tocchet to blame for Philly's demise.
Tocchet benched Michkov for no reason
Against the Rangers, Matvei Michkov took a double shift for the first time this season. Rick Tocchet did not take kindly to this move and benched Michkov for the majority of the third period. While the Flyers already had the lead, their head coach decided to bench their best offensive threat... not his best work.
By benching Michkov, it helped the Rangers come back and secure the win over Philly.
Michkov was clearly upset
Michkov was visibly upset after the game, and he has every reason to be. When he has been having a great performance with a team that has been less than stellar to start the season, and to then be benched in a game that the Flyers should have won, if Michkov wasn't upset, this might have caused even more of a stir.
Earlier this season, Michkov stated that he had deleted Instagram and was only focusing on hockey in a fairly viral clip. After the game against the Rangers, fans and media members noticed that Michkov had liked posts regarding his ice time, which is never a good sign.
The double standards surrounding Michkov need to turn around immediately. Tocchet needs to treat Michkov with respect, especially considering how he has been playing this season.
This season has already been unconventional with the number of trades that are being requested. What is preventing Michkov from doing the same? He has spent his first two NHL seasons with Philadelphia and is now in his third. He has been a prime member of the Flyers' team since joining them.
If Michkov's treatment doesn't change, there's a chance he could request a trade and then he won't be a Flyer any longer. It should never get to this point for any player, but even more so for Michkov, who has been a strong force for a disgruntled Flyers team this season.
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