Matvei Michkov’s name is suddenly in the middle of the trade conversation, and that opens a door the Maple Leafs may not want to ignore.
On Tuesday afternoon, NHL insider and former goaltender Kevin Weekes reported that the Philadelphia Flyers forward has asked for a move out of Philadelphia after the team’s rough start and what Weekes described as internal turmoil.
“From multiple league sources, with the Flyers unimpressive start and internal turmoil, Michkov would likely want a new start elsewhere. He's in the last year of his contract & is a prime trade candidate moving forward.”
Michkov, 21, has put up 14 points in 20 games this season. Since the Flyers took him seventh overall in 2023, he has totaled 56 goals and 128 points in 181 career games.
The tension around him has not come out of nowhere. The Flyers have dealt with issues throughout the organization, but much of the focus has landed on Michkov’s back-and-forth relationship with head coach Rick Tocchet, which has been rocky from the beginning. Philadelphia’s collapse after last season’s strong finish only added to the frustration and made the situation feel even more unstable.
That’s where Toronto enters the picture.
With one Russian superstar already traded this year, the Maple Leafs could take a swing at Michkov and try to add a top-six scorer with real long-term value. He would give them another young piece to build around alongside Easton Cowan and Gavin McKenna, while also offering offensive insurance if Auston Matthews eventually leaves town.
None of that comes cheap. A deal for Michkov would likely force Toronto to give up its last premium assets, and the price on the next contract would be significant as well. He is signed only until this summer, needs a new deal, and a figure in the range of $8 or $9M per season is described as a very honest assumption, with the max amount of term attached.
That kind of commitment could create problems later, but the talent is obvious. Players with Michkov’s caliber do not become available often, and a motivated version of him would be a dangerous addition.
The final question is the one that hangs over the whole idea: would Michkov really want to leave one struggling situation for another?
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Maple Leafs Just Reignited The Gavin McKenna Usage Debate
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The move inevitably put Gavin McKenna back in the spotlight, especially with the first overall pick sitting on 12 points in 19 games and tied for the rookie scoring lead. Even with that production, his ice time has been anything but steady, and the benchings have only sharpened the question of how Toronto wants to use him. The Leafs clearly see something they like in Tverbergs fit, but the choice also reopens the larger discussion about whether McKenna is being asked to do enough, or simply being held to a different standard. [Read more 🡒]