Breaking down Flyers candidates to play with Zegras and Michkov

The Philadelphia Flyers appear to be putting their two most-skilled players together on a line, at least here in training camp.

Matvei Michkov has found a new best friend and potential linemate in Trevor Zegras, who appears to be enjoying his time with the Flyers thus far . But if Michkov and Zegras are going to be on a line together, that is a lot of offense without a ton of defensive acumen. And the Flyers seem set on Zegras sticking at center for now, so it\'s not as easy as putting them on the wings of someone like Sean Couturier to hold down the fort in the middle.

If the Flyers truly have found a center for Michkov , who should join him and Zegras on the left wing?

Christian Dvorak gets first crack with Zegras and Michkov

It looks like free-agent signing Christian Dvorak might be the most obvious answer.

Tocchet acknowledged that if Zegras and Michkov are together, the Flyers \"might need a reliable guy\" to put with the duo. He then named Dvorak as one of the top options.

\"I think Dvorak is that guy that can win battles in the corners and get the puck to a guy like Zegras or Michkov,\" Tocchet said.

Tocchet and Dvorak might be in their first years with the Flyers, but the head coach helped the two-way centerman when he was a youngster in Arizona.

Dvorak can be that reliable presence that Zegras and Michkov need. More importantly, perhaps, is that he can step in to take the faceoff for Zegras, whose faceoff struggles to the tune of a 40.1% win-rate have been widely talked about. Dvorak won 55.8% of his faceoffs last season and 57.8% the year prior.

Moving Dvorak to the wing also solves a bit of the center \"log jam\" with guys pushing for spots. Sean Couturier, Noah Cates, Zegras, and Dvorak can all play center, so if he moves to the wing, that could open up the fourth-line center role for Rodrigo Abols or Jett Luchanko.

But if Zegras is able to improve in the faceoff dot, perhaps the Flyers can use a true winger alongside the skilled forwards.

Could Tyson Foerster fit with Zegras and Michkov?

If Tocchet isn\'t keeping the Tyson Foerster - Noah Cates - Bobby Brink line together, Foerster should be one of the top candidates to play with Zegras and Michkov.

The two-way forward is great defensively and can put the puck in the net with his shot. He had 20 goals two years ago and built on that to find the back of the net 25 times last season, with 18 assists to boot.

Even if Zegras still struggles on faceoffs, Tocchet could have Dvorak out there to take crucial draws and then have him go to the bench as soon as possible to get Foerster on for him.

Moving Foerster up with Zegras and Michkov would create a domino effect in the lineup as well. Dvorak may still play wing in Foerster\'s role with Cates, who also isn\'t the best at faceoffs, or Tocchet could use him as a reliable fourth-line center and bump up a prospect to the third line.

This may ultimately be my favorite line combination for Zegras and Michkov, but it might take them a bit to grow into this.

A Travis Konecny top line with Zegras and Michkov?

There is the outside chance that Tocchet loads up this line with three of the Flyers\' best players. Konecny is still the Flyers\' best overall forward, although Michkov could challenge that as soon as this season.

Konecny won\'t be able to take faceoffs like Dvorak would, but the same thing could apply where the veteran center takes key faceoffs and then gets off the ice for one of these three. There\'s also the issue of Konecny preferring to play on the right side, which is where Michkov typically lines up as well.

Loading up the top line could be interesting, and I wouldn\'t be shocked if this combination happened at some point in the season, potentially early on.

Could anyone else fit with Zegras and Michkov?

Dvorak, Foerster, and Konecny might be the three most interesting names, but by no means are they the only options.

Nikita Grebenkin opened the preseason slate on a line with these two, and that could be fun to see. Granted, the Flyers probably wouldn\'t run with that to start the season.

Alex Bump also falls into that category. Bump - Zegras - Michkov could be one hell of a fun line, but not quite yet.

It\'s still early, and there\'s no guarantee that Zegras and Michkov will even be on a line together to start the season, but the Flyers have a few solid options to choose from to complete the trio.

Christian Dvorak gets first crack with Zegras and Michkov

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