The Flyers are looking to ignite a stagnant team offense and dismal power play.
The 2025-26 season was a weird, unpredictable rollercoaster for the Philadelphia Flyers, and the offense, despite all its talent, was a weak point, while defense and (starting) goaltending were strengths.
If the Flyers are banking on being in the playoffs for a second straight season in 2027, they will need to do better than 21st in the NHL in goals per game and 32nd in power play conversation rate.
Fortunately, it would appear that the Flyers are very well aware of that fact ahead of training camp, and are prepared to turn to two of their best players to make it happen.
In a recent mailbag for The Athletic, Kevin Kurz reported that the Flyers are looking to see if Matvei Michkov and Trevor Zegras can build some chemistry together during training camp, which would be a dynamite combination at the peaks of their powers.
"The coaching staff is intrigued by putting Michkov and Trevor Zegras together, and I expect that to be early in camp. That could just be on the power play, meaning one of them will have to move off of the right flank, but expect to see that in an early practice or a preseason game," Kurz said.
"I doubt that means Michkov will suddenly be playing 18 minutes per night. His defense and decision-making is still going to be a work in progress. But, if he’s prepared to do more offensively, he’s going to earn more shifts. Any suggestion otherwise is silly."
How Michkov and Zegras performed for the Flyers previously
Trevor Zegras and Christian Dvorak played extensively together last season. (Photo: Robert Edwards, Imagn Images)Michkov and Zegras rarely played together during the regular season, but the two of them as a duo were used briefly in the preseason, alongside Nikita Grebenkin.
According to Natural Stat Trick, Michkov and Zegras played 39:52 together at 5-on-5 last preseason, getting out-attempted 45-38, out-scored 3-1, and out-chanced 23-22.
They did, however, have an xGF of 2.45 compared to a 1.89 xGA.
During the 82-game regular season, the Flyers duo played 169:24 together at 5-on-5, out-scoring opponents 7-6, got narrowly out-attempted 158-157, and out-chanced 79-77.
On the other hand, high-danger chances were 38-30 in favor of Michkov and Zegras, and high-danger goals were 4-2 in their favor, too.
It's worth noting that Zegras and veteran center Christian Dvorak were paired together for the overwhelming majority of the 2025-26 season, as were Michkov and Noah Cates.
The Flyers can easily replicate the defensive responsibility of Cates with someone like Dvorak while keeping Zegras and Michkov paired together for a more potent offense.
Of course, those two need to actually build and display some chemistry together, otherwise rookie Porter Martone and veteran Travis Konecny will get those top-line minutes instead.
Yes, the Flyers are counting on Michkov to have a bounce-back year and come into training camp in improved physical condition compared to last year, but they will also need to put him in the best position possible to produce when the real games start.
Fortunately, it seems that they are all in on the 21-year-old Russian phenom in hopes of a strong Year 3 from the young winger.
