The Philadelphia Flyers saw their season come to a close on Saturday night with one final overtime loss, this time with the Carolina Hurricanes completing the sweep in their Eastern Conference Semifinals series. It was ultimately a disappointing end, but one that many saw coming given the situation.
Many people also saw the criticism of Matvei Michkov coming. He was a healthy scratch for the series-deciding Game 4 after being one of the worst skaters on the ice in Game 3 against the fast-paced Hurricanes. It was the second time in as many series that Michkov had been scratched, as the young winger was also a healthy scratch for Game 5 in Pittsburgh in the first round.
Michkov’s sophomore season certainly didn’t go as swimmingly as his rookie campaign, but that’s to be expected for young players making the jump to the NHL. For as many people who want to criticize Michkov, the 21-year-old Russian might be his own worst critic.
“In the playoffs, the teams play really good. I was trying to help on defense and try to do what the coach told me. What the coach told me to do, I was trying to do,” he said during his exit interview on Tuesday. “It was the first playoffs for me, and I cannot say it was easy. I’m not happy with my game in the playoffs. I’m a player that the team expects me to score and make plays but at the end of it, it was eight games and just one assist.”
Rick Tocchet also spoke about Michkov both on Monday morning and then during the head coach’s own exit interview on Wednesday.
On Monday, Tocchet discussed Michkov’s season and his future with the Flyers, and he kept that going on Wednesday as he laid out what he wants to see from the young winger during the offseason.
Michkov was criticized all season long for coming into training camp out of shape, a point that Tocchet reiterated for some reason in February. In between his rookie and sophomore seasons, Michkov spent some time showing off his skills in Russia and vacationing overseas.
Now, Michkov is focused on getting back to training after a disappointing second season in the NHL.
“Just planning to work and after this press conference, I’m going back on the ice and starting to work as of right now,” Michkov said on Tuesday.
And he’s already back on the ice in Voorhees.
Flyers digital reporter Kendall Skalicky shared a video of Michkov skating at the Flyers Training Center on Wednesday afternoon.
Already putting the work in for next season! Matvei Michkov is wasting no time getting back on the ice. pic.twitter.com/2VAi9VYmOd
— Kendall Skalicky (@KendallSkalicky) May 13, 2026
It’s early in a long, important offseason for Michkov, but it’s great to see him already getting back to work on the ice in Orange and Black.
Michkov still scored 20 goals and added 31 assists for 51 points during a down sophomore season in which he finished with 18 points in his final 16 games. If that’s the floor for Michkov, the Flyers have at least a solid top-six winger for years to come — with plenty of room to grow.
