Flyers GM Danny Briere Stands Behind Rick Tocchet, Matvei Michkov Amid Developmental Hiccups
Matvei Michkov’s sophomore season hasn’t gone quite according to script-and Flyers GM Danny Briere knows it. But if there’s any tension surrounding the young star’s development under first-year head coach Rick Tocchet, Briere isn’t buying into the drama.
Outside the Flyers’ management suite at Xfinity Mobile Arena, Briere took on the role of steadying hand, offering clarity as questions swirled about how the franchise is handling one of its most important building blocks.
“Him and Matvei, they have a good relationship,” Briere said before the Flyers’ 4-2 win over the Capitals. “Sometimes they’re fiery-when you’re not winning, things can be said-but they always come back to the table.
They want the best for this team. Rick wants the best for Matvei.”
That message matters, because Michkov’s year has been a noticeable step back on paper. After a dazzling rookie campaign that saw him lead all NHL rookies with 26 goals and tie for second in points with 63, the 21-year-old winger has hit a bit of a wall.
Through 54 games this season, Michkov has 13 goals and 29 points. He’s also averaging just 14:34 of ice time per game, down over two minutes from last year.
The dip has raised eyebrows, especially given Tocchet’s early-season comments about Michkov needing to improve his conditioning. That narrative has lingered, but Briere didn’t shy away from it-he leaned in with transparency.
“He admitted himself that he wasn’t in the best physical condition coming in,” Briere said. “It’s going to be tough to catch up.
Now, he’s in better shape than he was when he arrived this season. Unfortunately, everybody is in better shape than they were in training camp.”
That’s the grind of the NHL. Once the season starts, there’s no real pause button.
Between the travel, the pace, and the sheer volume of games, playing catch-up physically is a tall order. Briere sees this as a lesson learned-not a red flag.
“He’s going to do that in the offseason,” Briere said. “It was a good lesson for him, and it’s just going to make him a better hockey player next year.”
That offseason could look different, too. In December, Michkov floated the idea of staying in Philadelphia to train rather than returning to Russia for the entire summer. It’s a small detail, but one that speaks volumes about his mindset.
“We hope so-he said that,” Briere noted. “Being around Matvei the last few years, I know how driven he is, so I have no worry about the future. I think this is just a little hiccup, what happened this year.”
It’s easy to forget just how quickly Michkov arrived on the scene. Briere reminded reporters that the winger came over earlier than expected, and that kind of fast-tracked development rarely comes without some turbulence.
“I said it a couple of years ago, when Matvei arrived earlier than expected, we knew there would be some bumps along the way,” Briere said. “And that’s kind of what is happening.”
Tocchet, meanwhile, is navigating his first season behind the Flyers’ bench, and his first coaching Michkov. But Briere sees a shared trait between coach and player-one that could be the foundation for long-term success.
“They are both very critical of themselves and they both have that inner drive,” Briere said. “I played with Rick Tocchet.
I see how Matvei is. They’re both very driven individuals and they want the best for the team and for the Flyers.”
That drive is what gives Briere confidence that this pairing can work-and thrive.
“Rick knows how important [Michkov] is to the future of this organization. He wants to make it work,” Briere said.
“The coaching staff has probably spent more time with him, trying to help him out. There’s no problem with the relationship there.”
So yes, the numbers are down. And yes, the scrutiny has crept in.
But Briere isn’t sounding alarms. If anything, he’s doubling down on the belief that this is all part of the process-growing pains for a young star still finding his way, and a coach invested in helping him get there.