Matvei Michkov, the Flyers’ electrifying 20-year-old Russian rookie winger, is off to a rocky start in the 2025-26 season—just two games in, and the team’s already 0-2. While his skill set screams highlight-reel magic (think elite edgework, deceptive hands, and a sniper’s shot), Head Coach Rick Tocchet has zeroed in on a key adjustment: Michkov needs to embrace a more “north-south” style of play.
In hockey lingo, that means driving the puck forward aggressively—straight to the net, with purpose and pace—rather than east-west puck-chasing or slowing things down to orchestrate perfect plays.Why This Matters for Michkov/Tocchet, fresh off a Jack Adams Award win with Vancouver, laid it out bluntly after Saturday’s loss to the Carolina Hurricanes: “You have to let him be who he is, but there’s parts of his game that he has to improve upon. I think sometimes he likes to slow the game down a bit, I would like to see him play more North style.”
Tocchet continued to talk about why he didn’t use Michkov in last night’s 4-3 overtime loss to Carolina, “Just wanted the guys who I thought were skating.”
This echoes feedback from Michkov’s transition last season under John Tortorella, where the emphasis on dump-and-chase forechecking felt like “culture shock” to the KHL-bred phenom. Michkov himself admitted disbelief at first: “I’d hit the ice and still do my own thing.
Now, with Tocchet—a coach known for blending grit and skill—it’s about balance. Top NHL stars like Connor McDavid thrive on north-south bursts, and Tocchet wants Michkov (already a Calder contender last year with 50+ points as a teen) to channel that without losing his flair.Early Season Struggles.
- Limited Ice Time: Michkov’s logged just 13-14 minutes per game so far, a sharp drop from his 18+ average as a rookie. He’s been “neutered” on the ice, per some observers, touching the puck less and coughing it up when he does—often because he’s overthinking support instead of attacking.
- Linemate Woes: Even when chances come, Flyers forwards haven’t buried them.
- Power Play Fit: A positional tweak last season (shooting left-handed more) tanked his PP production; he’s back on the right now, where he dominated in the KHL.
The Upside: He’s built for this
Michkov’s no stranger to adaptation—he torched the KHL at 18 (41 points in 47 games with Sochi), arrived in North America ahead of schedule after voiding his SKA deal, and hit 60+ NHL points in Year 1 despite slumps. His pace and vision are elite; imagine that dialed up with directness.
Tocchet’s not trying to remake him—just refine. Michkov’s just going to need more time to adapt to Tocchet’s style of play.
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