Before he hit the ice last year, the Flyers' team management was very clear about two things. First, they were excited that Matvei Michkov was going to play for the team. Secondly, they were very clear not to set expectations too high for him. Over and over again, general manager Daniel Briere and former head coach John Tortorella kept repeating the mantra that he is "not the savior" of the team.
Now, that comment may sound mean, but it isn't. To put all the hopes and dreams of the fans, especially fans as anxious as Flyers fans to break the playoff drought, onto the shoulders of a single 19-year-old kid is a bit much. Just ask Chicago how Connor Bedard is doing. I'm not saying he's a bad player, but in two years, he's had 45 goals. That's not the game-changing pace we were led to believe. Although, to be fair, Chicago is probably in worse shape than the Flyers are, so you are only going to be as good as the guys you play with.
I say this because in one season, Michkov scored 26 goals with 37 assists. That's not bad for a rookie campaign. And despite leading all NHL rookies in goals, he still fell to fourth in the Calder Trophy voting without a single first-place vote.
Michkov had an interesting season. He was a healthy scratch twice because Tortorella wanted to give him rest and an "education" on what he could do better. There were times he was benched for a period or two for the same reason. Despite the tension there, Michkov admired Tortorella and admitted he could've learned a lot more from him.
Tortorella wanted him to work on the defensive aspects of the game and become a better passer. Some felt that Tortorella held him back. Maybe he did. But then again, maybe he did it to help improve Michkov's game in a way that will pay huge dividends later on in the future.
What Will Year Two Bring?
That's the big question. With Tortorella gone and Rick Tocchet in, what will the offense look like? Tortorella was always more of a defensive-minded coach. Will that change? And if this team becomes more offensively focused, who will be paired up with Michkov?
Michkov started the year paired up with Morgan Frost and Owen Tippett. Later on, Joel Farabee was switched out for Tippett. When they were traded away, Michkov appeared on a line with Sean Couturier and a revolving cast on the other wing. Some consistency might help Michkov do better.
Likewise, Michkov shoots left, but plays on the right wing. Would it make sense to place him on the left wing with another sharp-shooting right winger, like Tippett or Porter Martone, to make a deadly shooting line? Not sure. Maybe he isn't comfortable on the left side. When Tocchet opens up camp, we'll see what happens.
To be honest, after a year of action in the NHL and a year of getting used to his teammates, it would be hard to fathom Michkov having a down year. His 26 goals led the team, and his 63 points were second only to Travis Konecny. A 30+ goal, 70+ season, barring injury, isn't too far out of the question.
He is going to be the next big star in Philly with a bunch more coming up behind him. Seeing him on a team with guys like Jack Nesbitt, Jett Luchanko, Tyson Foerster, Martone, Tippett, Konecny, and others, the Flyers' future is looking promising.
For now, we'll have to see what Michkov's second season brings us.