Matvei Michkov Uses Olympic Break to Reset Physically, Mentally as Flyers Enter Crucial Stretch

For Philadelphia Flyers forward Matvei Michkov, the Olympic break may have been a period of time off on the schedule, but for him, it was neither escape nor retreat. 

Speaking through translator Slava Kuznetsov following the Flyers’ return to practice on Tuesday, Michkov full not of rest and recuperation, but by deliberate preparation—an intentional recalibration as both his role and the scrutiny surrounding him have evolved.

“I was training every day; there was no resting there,” Michkov said. “[I did] two training [sessions] a day. First one was in the gym, second was conditioning.”

Although persistent conversations surrounding his fitness levels have plagued Flyers social media spaces in recent weeks, the 21-year-old winger was adamant that he was feeling good after using the break to continue getting stronger in both mind and body.

“I feel a lot better,” Michkov said. “Hopefully I will feel a lot better in the games as well. The main point right now is to help the team… My mind is always ready.”

Michkov’s season has not followed a straight developmental line. His ice time has fluctuated. His position has shifted. His relationship with the coaching staff has been publicly analyzed in ways uncommon even for highly regarded young players.

Yet his comments reflected an understanding that he has to live up to certain expectations now that he's in his sophomore NHL season, and adapt quickly to changes in his usual routine. 

“I was always playing the right [wing]. Now I’m playing on the left,” he said. “If the coaches see me there, I have to adapt as quick as I can. For me, on the right, I can create a lot more moments. Now I have to switch everything to the left and do the same thing."

The adjustment from left to right is more significant than it might appear. Wing position affects puck retrieval angles, shooting posture, breakout timing, and defensive coverage responsibilities.

For a player whose offensive instincts are rooted in anticipation and spatial manipulation, those adjustments require both technical recalibration and cognitive retraining.

“I’ll play as much time as I’ve been given. I have to do my job. That’s the only thing I care about,” he said. “I’m a player, and I have to concentrate 100 percent on what I’ve been doing at the moment.”

The break arrived at a moment when external attention had intensified. Media narratives have focused on Michkov’s ice time, conditioning, and developmental trajectory within Tocchet’s system. 

"There's nothing new in the NHL. The NHL is hard work," he said. "If you take a four-month break, it can reflect in your game. You have to concentrate on hockey all the time, and you cannot take even a month of break. You have to be smart when you're training."

He also had no interest in fueling speculation that he has any kind of rift with Tocchet.

"[There is] a very common relationship between player and head coach," he said. "Everybody has the same goal—the coaches and players—to win. We've been working that way."

One of the more significant realities of Michkov’s integration into the Flyers has been the consistency of communication behind the scenes. Despite the presence of a translator for formal media settings, assistant coach Todd Reirden emphasized that Michkov operates comfortably within the team’s primary language structure.

“I rarely have any discussions with him that aren’t in English,” Reirden said. “I can speak some Russian. I’ve been with enough Russian players as a player and as a coach that I have a small dictionary of 500 words that I can use. They like to hear me trying, but at least he knows that I try to speak with him in Russian as well, which I think goes a long way.”

Reirden described communication that goes beyond just talking, highlighting how repetition, video, and situational teaching help in making sure Michkov understands what his coaches are asking of him. 

“A lot of the discussions are in English and the rest of the discussion on the ice [involve] maybe it’s repeating, maybe it’s showing stuff—video is a positive one—for him to re-see it,” Reirden said. “Sometimes in group meetings, I know the other assistant coaches will spend time with them, making sure that everything is clear.”

The Flyers don't need Michkov to resolve his career trajectory in the next 26 games. What they need—and what he appears committed to—is measurable progression: consistency in preparation, adaptability within structure, and resilience amid external pressure.

“My mind is always ready,” he said.