When Rick Tocchet’s name emerged as a potential candidate to become the Philadelphia Flyers’ next head coach, questions quickly followed about how he would mesh with Matvei Michkov. Tocchet-coached teams are not exactly known for offensive flair, and with Michkov’s development central to the Flyers’ long-term future, some wondered whether bringing him in would effectively handcuff their most important young talent.
Fair or not, the first half of the season has done little to quiet those concerns. Michkov’s raw point totals are down, his ice time has dipped, and Tocchet has faced repeated questions about the winger’s downturn. More recently, however, Michkov’s offensive game has begun to re-emerge, offering a glimpse of what could be a revitalized second half.
Decision making and confidence
One of the more surprising aspects of Michkov’s slow start has been his decision making with the puck. In his rookie season, it was a clear positive. This year, those same reads have felt slower and less decisive, with those plays that came so naturally a season ago being far less consistent. Lately, that had begun to shift. Michkov has been forcing plays that aren’t there less often, with his pass to Noah Juulsen against the Calgary Flames serving as a clear example.
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