The Matvei Michkov conversation in Philadelphia has flipped quickly this fall.
A year after the Flyers’ 2023 seventh-overall pick became one of the team’s most debated players, the early signs out of camp point in a much different direction. Michkov was a constant flashpoint last season, when he spent stretches in Rick Tocchet’s doghouse, including sitting the final game of the playoffs against the Carolina Hurricanes, and finished the regular season with 20 goals and 51 points in 81 games.
This camp, though, the story has been his body, his pace and his attitude. Sources say Michkov has come into camp noticeably leaner, reportedly down as much as 30 pounds from where he was around this time last year. The Flyers’ brass has been encouraged by what it has seen so far, with Michkov looking quicker and still bringing the same high-end compete level that has always been part of his game.
That competitiveness cut both ways last season, but it also appears to have pushed him into a productive summer. Per sources, Michkov handled the attention around him well, and the pressure tied to his role and his usage became fuel for him to show up in better shape. After conditioning was such a talking point a year ago, the improvement has been impossible to miss.
The Flyers have also started to test him alongside Denver Barkey, the 2023 third-round pick who is being looked at down the middle after spending much of his career on the left wing. A team source said Barkey’s hockey IQ has meshed well with Michkov so far, and his defensive work has stood out in a positive way. The fact that Barkey is the same age as Michkov also matters, especially after Michkov spent much of last season skating with veteran players, per team sources.
That said, Michkov won’t be the only young player drawing attention in Philadelphia this season. Barkey is expected to begin the year in the NHL if the injury that knocked him out of Monday’s preseason game is not serious.
Porter Martone, the 2025 first-round pick, is set for his rookie season. Tyson Foerster is back healthy after a lengthy contract extension.
David Jiricek, the 2022 sixth-overall pick, is looking for a rebound year on defense. There will be plenty of competition around Michkov for attention from both the media and the coaching staff.
Even with that crowd around him, Michkov brings something different. Tocchet has already pointed to his puck protection, comparing it to Jaromir Jagr’s, and that kind of skill doesn’t come around often.
The expectations should stay grounded, but the Flyers believe his game is distinct from much of what they have on the roster. Better shape, a cleaner summer and a chance to answer for last season all set up a key year for the winger.
He is also entering the final season of his ELC contract, which only adds another layer to the story. It is too early to say what his next deal will look like, but after the historic financial summer across the NHL that changed the landscape for younger players, it would be hard to imagine Michkov not paying attention to the extension Ryan Leonard got. That potential payday should be one more reason for him to keep pushing.
The Flyers are betting the bounce-back is coming. Michkov has already given them reason to believe it might.
In Other News...
Flyers Are Still Chasing The Impact Forward This Roster Needs
The Flyers are still in the market for the kind of forward who can change the shape of a roster, with Dave Pagnotta saying on SiriusXM NHL Network Radio that the club remains interested in adding a star-caliber piece. Philadelphia has the cap room to work with and enough young talent it believes can keep growing, which gives the front office some flexibility as it keeps looking for ways to push the team closer to playoff status.
And this is not a case of a team passively waiting for the market to break its way. The Flyers have already shown a willingness to take a swing for a bigger-name addition, and the pursuit of impact help is still very much part of the plan. For a club trying to speed up its timeline, the search for that difference-making forward remains one of the more important storylines around the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Suddenly Have Two Injury Questions Right Before Opening Night
The Flyers are heading into the final stretch of the preseason with a couple of health questions hanging over the roster. Goalie Dan Vladar left Tuesdays exhibition game after taking an upper-body injury, and the team is still sorting out what it means as opening night gets closer. On a club that already knows how quickly goalie depth can matter, any uncertainty there is worth watching.
Denver Barkey added another concern when he left practice early after dealing with a lower-body injury, putting his status in doubt for the preseason finale and maybe even the opener. Philadelphia is monitoring both players as the regular season approaches, and with the calendar tightening, the next few days could say a lot about how much lineup flexibility the Flyers will have when the games start to count. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Preseason Test Could Start Sorting Out Key Roster Battles
A mostly NHL Flyers lineup gets a useful preseason stress test against the Bruins, and for a team still sorting out the edges of its roster, these are the kinds of games that matter. Philadelphia will be without injured Dan Vladar and Denver Barkey, but the lineup still has plenty of names worth tracking, with Cole Knuble, Jett Luchanko, Matvei Michkov and Nikita Grebenkin all expected to be in the mix.
The night also carries a little extra weight in goal, where Joseph Woll is set for his first full game with the Flyers. Grebenkins return adds another layer of intrigue after his injury absence, giving the coaching staff another look at a player who has been out of game action since March 21 of last season. For a preseason meeting, there is more than enough here to start separating who is pushing for jobs and who still has more work to do. [Read more 🡒]