https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7169210/2026/04/03/nhl-power-rankings-young-stars-comparisons/
Si seulement Kevin Kurz pouvait écrire sur la situation de manière moins biaisée
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toupis21
@Flyers de Philadelphie
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7169210/2026/04/03/nhl-power-rankings-young-stars-comparisons/
Si seulement Kevin Kurz pouvait écrire sur la situation de manière moins biaisée
—
toupis21
15 Comments
Ok I might get down voted for this, but why can’t it be that Michkov is just having a shit year? It’s been beat to death but he came in out of shape which is hard to comeback from at this level.
Trust me I’ve had my issues with Tocchet, especially with his treatment of Matvei at times, but this notion he kills skill sure hasn’t hurt Konecny, Zegras (close to career year), Tippett (close to career yr), Foerster (small sample but elite pace), Dvorak (career yr), Cates (career yr) & early on Bump, Barkey & Martone have shown well.
I think we’ve all seen a step back from Mich. He hasn’t looked quite the same all yr. At times in spurts he has but it hasn’t been sustained. He isn’t the first 20 yr old to struggle and he won’t be the last. Still remain confident he’s gonna be a star for us.
Yea, it’s true. He’s absolutely terrified to make a bad play which is why he is playin hot potato with the puck. We have him crashing in on the forecheck and he’s just simply not big enough, fast enough, or conditioned enough for it and he gets knocked off the puck incredibly easily.
Matvei is only going to shine as a player if he can find time and space. He will need to increase his endurance and speed, then coach will need to understand how best to utilize him IF that happens. It’s all on him.
And yet he bounced back and has become a great player. It’s almost like relearning the defensive part of your game at the highest level is an important development step to becoming a top player.
Kurz, Anthony San Fillipo, and others more closely associated with the team simply won’t be overly critical of the Flyers mgmt or coaching because they want continued access to the team and don’t want to piss off those holding the keys.
I also question their fundamental understanding of the sport based on some things I’ve read. Kurz’s level of analysis is surface level at best and ASF makes comments that indicate he literally doesn’t know anything about how hockey is actually played.
Tocchet and Michkov are the issue?
Just want the dude to skate. He always stops moving his feet.
He (Michkov) just needs to be better. You can make up crap about Tocchet or which wing he’s on.
But MM was dreadful last night, and obviously needs to be in shape.
He’s young. I’m optimistic. Next year will be amazing.
I think playing under Tocchet has hurt Michkov offensively this season, but I don’t think it is really about sacrificing offense for defense or at least not in the sense that he is discouraging creativity.
I think it’s just that Michkov at this point in his development is somewhat limited in the ways that he creates offense. Last year if you look at his micro-stats he was basically in the 90th percentile or above in all rush offensive categories but much lower in other areas.
Torts ran the perfect system for him, he encouraged his wingers to fly the zone early and try to get quick ups to them to generate rush based counter attacks. The flyers under Torts were a top 5 rush attack in the league and when Michkov can fly the zone early have a big head start he has the time and space to work his passing and ability to manipulate goalies in odd man situations really shines.
Tocchet does not favor a rush based offensive strategy, he wants guys to hold onto pucks and get to the slot and generate high danger chances off the cycle, and he doesn’t let his wingers fly the zone early.
Michkov struggles because if he has to wait he doesn’t have the skating to really be effective on the rush anymore, he also doesn’t have the skating or physicality combo (especially earlier in the year when he was out of shape) to play the possession game in the offensive zone. At this point I for sure think he’s having issues with confidence in his game as well.
I’m not saying that Torts system was superior because there was a legitimate criticism that the flyers basically were a one and done team that totally lacked any creativity once they were inside the O-zone under Torts, they also had a lot of defensive breakdowns when they got outnumbered in their own zone.
I just think Tocchet’s system goes too far in the other direction, we need a more balanced approach between the two.
As for Michkov ultimately I do think this is good for him, he needs to learn that he’s not Macklin Celebrini or Connor Bedard, he doesn’t have the physical package that is going to allow him to do whatever he wants at this level, if he wants to reach his potential he needs to understand the extent to which he is going to have to get faster and stronger and also the extent to which he is going to have to diversify the way he scores and creates offense. He’s such a smart player I believe he can do this and be better overall for it.
He needs to learn how to wear multiple hats, because if he ends up being just a top 6 forward thats a wizard off the rush that is very limited elsewhere thats a huge disappointment for me.
Reading all these posts on this thread going on and on about conditioning is driving me crazy. He is fucking conditioned at this point. Its been 6+ months since he came in out of shape. Everyone keeps talking like he is doomed until a 4 month off season, like that will somehow magically do more then 70+ hockey games and 6 months of practice. He didn’t come into camp 350lbs. He put on a few pounds (20?) over 4 months, but it will take him a year+ to fix it? Its so dumb.
People even commenting on conditioning at this point are just trying to sound in the know because its a buzz statement to explain away issues with the system or performance. Phil Kessel didn’t even know what conditioning meant. Players get injured constantly, cant work out, come back, and people talk 1000% less about that players conditioning.
The only reason Tocc said that shit was so it didn’t keep happening and he took better care of himself. Players can play themselves into shape, it happens in every sport without fail. Issues MM is having right now are almost all system and coaching issues not conditioning.
I was like, 85% bought in to Danny Briere’s tenure on this day last year. I mostly agreed with every single move he had made thus far, and the things that didn’t work out could easily be explained away.
Just 1 year later? He might as well be Hextall.
.5/10 coaching decision
.5/10 contracts given out
.5/10 development happening
Another year of finishing 14th overall.
I’m tired boss.
He just looks invisible most nights, and it’s concerning
When it comes to Michkov this fanbase is so black or white. Far better players in this city have been roasted for coming into camp out of shape but the fanbase gives him a pass.
He also seems disinterested this season and stops skating or makes a bad decision constantly. Whenever he does that the context is “he’s just such a genius no one can keep up”. He’s having a bad season, that doesn’t mean he’s a bad player.
Bump and Barkey (and Martone in limited time) are showing much more drive than MM.
I’m still a Michkov believer. I have however been too invested in him. If he doesn’t have a good game, I am a bit irritated as I want to see him do well. I’m happy for the guys who are getting things done, but I want to see him on the score sheet. I’m just not sure we have the players to support him right now, but he needs to take a step next year. He needs to be able to make it his game. Speed has never been his thing, but the way he can move in the O zone is where it is at, I think lately they have been giving him more freedom with the puck which is good. I do think he can still be a high scoring player, I hope the offseason and the things he is learning this season make next season the start of his breakout. I’d like to see him in the 70’s next season.
Can bring Scotty bowman in here to coach..39 is slow as shit, he has no compete on the boards or any interest in anything in the defensive zone..even a little bit. He still thinks he’s gonna beat guys 1×1 with that drag through the legs trash. He also came in to a new coach fat and out of shape. Yes let’s blame the coach lol
His body language isn’t a good look along with his slow skating and turnovers. There was a shot of the bench on Tuesday night and Tocchet had to yell at him to get on the ice and he looked like a little kid. He also needs to get stronger because a slight breeze is enough to knock him off the puck.