Matvei Michkov is going to be a star in Philadelphia for a long time.
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The 7th overall pick in the 2022 draft burst onto the scene to start his NHL career. Living up to the superstar hype that surrounded him while in Russia.
In his first 26 games, he had 11 goals and 16 assists. Good for 2nd best on the team behind Travis Konecny.
But, over the last 17 games, the 20 year old rookie has gone somewhat silent. Struggling to find the consistency he had earlier in the season.
The one spot that has really been a struggle for Michkov during this stretch has been his 5v5 play.
While he has only five points – 2 goals & 3 assists – in his last 17 games, only two has come while at 5v5. Which, isn’t as concerning as it seems.
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At the moment, Michkov is kind of the odd man out on the wing. Especially with the Flyers other lines rolling right now.
Tyson Foerster and Bobby Brink have solidified themselves with Noah Cates. Which, pretty much has been the Flyers best line over the past month.
Scott Laughton and Garnet Hathaway were reunited with Ryan Poehling before his injury. A line that worked extremely well early in the season.
Then, you have Owen Tippett and Travis Konecny. The pair that John Tortorella has a hard time breaking up because how well they play together.
Matvei Michkov now plays with Sean Couturier. One of the Flyers who also was a young rookie in the NHL. Making his NHL debut at age 18.
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Couturier, who had 13 goals and 14 assists in his rookie season, understands the struggles of a long rookie season. Something that he went through in 2012 with the Flyers.
“I think it’s just part of, you know, learning league,” Couturier said when asked rookie struggles. “Going through some ups and downs, and growing through those.”
The struggles for Michkov were obviously going to be there in his first season in the NHL. No one, not even the Flyers, believed he would come in and immediately be the turning point for this team.
But, the one thing the Flyers are making sure of is to keep his mind focused on the bigger picture. Molding him into the future superstar they know he can be.
“I think you can see he’s working on other areas of his game that are improving as well,” Couturier said on Michkov’s game. “He’s trying to do the right things defensively and thats part of the learning process.”
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