A whole lot has been made of Matvei Michkov’s sophomore season. It was one of the main talking points throughout the entire year — whether or not the last mediocre or bad performance was his last and he’ll turn the corner starting with the next game. It took a while for him to truly find his footing for various reasons but he did finish the season on a massive high as the Flyers’ leading scorer through the push into the playoffs.
If you’re reading this little website in early July, you most likely have gone through the rollercoaster that was Michkov’s season and all the hot takes that came with it and all the nonsense that everyone was spewing concerned that the Flyers would just give up on the player even before his third year in the league. It was an ugly scene for a while despite the Flyers trying to lower the temperature multiple times.
The reason that we were all given as to why Michkov struggled through the first 60 or so games of the season was because of an injury that affected his offseason training and that led to him showing up to training camp not in game shape. It’s something that has been beaten to death and even typing it out, I can sense the eye-rolling from some readers (I’m sorry).
But now, Michkov is showing the world this summer just how hard he’s working. The 21-year-old has posted multiple times on his Instagram story, videos of him lifting weights and putting in the work and it started even as soon as mid-June, three months before Flyers training camp.
Most recently though, we got some footage of Michkov working on the ice in his hometown of Perm, Russia with Flyers de facto translator and skating coach Slava Kuznetsov.
As Kuznetsov mentions in the video, Molot-Prikamye Perm — which is the professional team in Michkov’s hometown that plays in the VHL, the second division of pro hockey in Russia — has given the Flyers winger complete access to the locker room and all the ice time he wants at their new practice facility. That seems like an ideal setup if Michkov is staying home.
While most fans probably hope that Michkov makes his way over to Voorhees as soon as possible this summer to start working much closer to Flyers staff, this seems like something that is completely manageable and something that will truly benefit the player heading into his third season in the NHL.
Michkov is playing in the NHL-KHL Match of the Year this summer, a big charity exhibition game featuring the biggest Russian stars in hockey. That takes place on July 25 and it would not surprise anyone if he were to make his way overseas soon after that, maybe in early August to get a solid month in before training camp. Some Flyers are already staying local and training this summer, and getting all of that time beforehand is only going to do some good for Michkov.
Michkov looking for major bounceback season
The problem with Michkov’s down year is that we saw what he was able to achieve in his rookie year. Scoring 26 goals and 63 points in his first season in the NHL is something special, especially for a player just learning the language. But then after a tumultuous summer, scoring 20 goals and 51 points doesn’t look too good in comparison to that rookie year.
But still, 51 points in a sophomore season is more than a solid performance. And considering how far his defensive work has come and he’s actually a positive impact player on that side of the puck, there’s a lot to work with and get excited about heading into next season.
Because it is a big one. Even if the Flyers don’t get Leo Carlsson, the expectations are going to be higher. They got to experience the playoffs. We got to experience the playoffs. Even if general manager Danny Briere wants to lower expectations heading into next season by saying there might be a slight step back because maybe some other teams like the Capitals and the Devils get so much better than last season and the Flyers didn’t get to acquire a Carlsson or Zach Werenski despite doing everything they can to get them; we will be heading into the season hoping for playoffs more than anything.
Michkov will be a part of that. If he can build on from his rookie year and win his job back in the top six, and then score more on the power play, and then maybe pot in 30 or so and flirt with being a point per game player, then that’s a lot of growth and a lot more points on the board for the Flyers. Toss in a full season of Porter Martone and having an actual backup goalie in Joseph Woll, and having a 100-point season isn’t that far out of reach.
Now, we can dream of more success in the near future if Michkov puts it all together. And it starts with watching him go through practice drills in a city that is closer to Kazakhstan than any other country.
