The term “sophomore slump” is something that is well known around the National Hockey League. It is something that effects every player differently.
Through the first 43 games of his sophomore season, those struggles have found Philadelphia Flyers young star forward Matvei Michkov.
Michkov, who has just seven points in his last 17 games, has struggled to find the early consistency he had in his rookie season.
While some would say he has gotten worse as the season has gone on, that isn’t telling the whole truth. Definitely not the truth if you are basing your point off the past two games against one of the best teams in the National Hockey League.
The root to the young Russian’s struggles so far this season started in the lead up to training camp.
Unable to train properly due to an ankle injury, he was not in the best of shape to start the season. Which, of course, became a national headline due to a podcast saying he was fat and out of shape.
The unnecessary jabs took its toll on him early in the season, especially with the points not coming as often as they did in his rookie season.
In his first 27 games of his rookie season, he had 11 goals and 16 assists. This year, he had only 8 goals and 8 assists.
Whether you say it’s his skating, his strength, his fitness – all of which have been not up to his standards so far – it did not stop him from taking accountability for it.
“What’s happening right now, I’m not feeling good about it,” Michkov told reporters after a practice in early December. “I’m sure I can do much better and make better for the team.. You cannot score in every game but physically need to be ready for it.”
The realization of a then 20-year-old to take accountability for himself is something that should applauded. His words should not be misconstrued or taken out of context whenever a point needs to be made.
If you look back to his rookie season, his struggles recently line up with where he struggled last season.
After starting with 27 points in his first 27 games, he had just 2 goals and 2 assists over the next 16 games. This year, he has just 1 goal and 6 assists in his last 16 games. Mind it, that one goal was an empty netter just to be clear.
However, there is a clear reason to be hopeful that his season will turn around.
The week off for the 4Nations tournament last season did wonders for the rookie. The time off the ice gave him the rest and reset needed to get back to the success he found early in the season.
He finished with 10 goals and 17 assists in his final 25 games.
This year, Michkov will have a more extended break to right the ship. He will have three weeks off due to the Olympics in Milan and plans to take full advantage of it.
“In February, I need to spend the time to be ready for the rest of the season,” Michkov told reporters after a practice in early December. “If you’re going to have the good physical form, everything else will come along.”
Whether or not he will be able to turn around his season is still very much in question. But, if last season’s turnaround came off just one week of rest, what will three weeks do for him?
The one thing Michkov has shown so far is his ability to put in the work. If he does during the break, it should lead to a big turnaround in the latter half of the season.
