What Stood Out as Flyers' Matvei Michkov Charms Media Ahead of Rookie NHL Season
Matvei Michkov after being selected No. 7 overall in the 2023 NHL draft.
Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports
The Philadelphia Flyers introduced star prospect Matvei Michkov to the media Wednesday, welcoming the Russian forward to the NHL two years before his KHL contract was expected to end.
While Michkov charmed attendees to the press conference with his humility, Flyers GM Daniel Briere cautioned against seeing him as someone who will put the team on his back and singlehandedly carry them to glory.
“We don’t see him as the savior, that’s certainly not what we’re putting on his shoulders,” Briere said. “He’s 19 years old. He’s coming in to learn and to expand his game, and obviously, we hope the sky’s the limit for him. But we’re certainly not expecting him to be the savior of this team. We’re building a team that’s going to have many pieces to work together, and we’re hoping he becomes one of them.”
Speaking through translator and Flyers skating coach Slava Kouznetsov, Michkov told media he was eager to meet coach John Tortorella, who was not in attendance at the press conference. But the hard-nosed Tortorella will likely be happy to work with Michkov, as the latter’s drive to succeed was made clear Wednesday.
“The main idea always was to win, the drive to win, and (Michkov’s) here to help the team to win,” Michkov said through Kouznetsov.
For Michkov – who was picked up at the airport Tuesday by Briere and Flyers president of hockey operations Keith Jones – the chance to work with the veteran coach is going to be to the benefit of Michkov’s all-around game.
“We all know that he’s gifted offensively, he’s very, very talented,” Briere said of Michkov. “But he’s going to have the chance to learn under 'Torts' to play the other side of the ice as well. That gets me excited that he’s going to get that base early on and I think it’s going to make him better for the rest of his career.”
The adjustment to the physical brand of hockey in the NHL will be a challenge for Michkov, but Briere joked that Michkov was shown a fight between Flyers tough guy Nick Deslauriers and the Rangers’ Matt Rempe.
“We told him (Deslauriers is) his new best friend,” Briere said with a smile.
Michkov said Flyers brass maintained contact with him in his first year after the team selected him seventh overall in the 2023 NHL draft. But Michkov made it clear his dream was to play in the NHL.
He also said his late father, Andrei Michkov, would be “really proud” of him, and while he noted he did have personal goals for his rookie NHL season, he didn’t reveal what those goals were. That said, Michkov was pleased with the welcome he’s received in Philly.
“It’s unreal how the fans have reacted and how welcomed he felt coming in,” Kouznetsov said for Michkov. “At the same time, the main idea is to get ready and show really good hockey for the fans and play the best game he can play.”
It’s difficult for any youngster to acclimate to a new country and language, but part of the blueprint for Michkov is to give him an English tutor and, more importantly, to bring over Michkov’s mother and brother in September.
“That’s the plan,” Briere said. “Plans can always go sideways, but I think that’s the plan. It would be good to have his mom and his brother with him so that’s going to help a lot.”
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