The Philadelphia Flyers have become a national story, but for all the wrong reasons. Head coach Rick Tocchet again ostracized winger Matvei Michkov for his conditioning at training camp. Whether the bench boss was in the right or not, the comment caused issues.
The noise got so loud that general manager Daniel Brière had to address the media. He shared his thoughts on the Flyers’ current slump and stated that the team believes Michkov and Tocchet can coexist.
This is despite the coach preaching north-south hockey and the young player being an east-west scorer. While the presser weathered the storm a bit, the problems at hand didn’t simply vanish.
Ten months ago, Brière told the media, “I really hope that this is the bottom; this is rock bottom for us today, and this is the turnaround.” It didn’t take long for things to sink even lower.
For some fans, this situation has been suffocating. They want to watch a good, fun hockey team again—a murky-middle standings finish with endless drama is nowhere close.
To distract from all the dysfunction, let’s look at three positives that the Flyers have going for them.
Positive One: Michkov Just Needs a Chance
Michkov’s conditioning has been the story of his sophomore campaign. It’s why he has “regressed” this season. But the stats test—and my personal eye test—suggest that all the 21-year-old needs is a chance.
For starters, Michkov has been a great play-driver this season. According to Hockey Stats, his 54.5% expected goal share ranks third among Flyer forwards, and he’s above league average in both expected goal generation and suppression.
Related: Hockey Advanced Analytics: What Are They & Why Are They Important?
Expected goals are a solid metric to determine impact. But what really stands out to me in No. 39’s game is his ability to create shots. This is more of an eye test thing, but we can back it up with stats.
With Michkov, you may notice that, quite frequently, a smart play he makes leads to a Flyers shot on goal. It often looks like the secondary assist he had against the Washington Capitals on Feb. 3:
Tipper starts us off hot. 🔥#WSHvsPHI | #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/gjPUlMxLmZ
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) February 4, 2026
This is what superstar east-west players do. They can create when nothing’s there, and that’s one of Michkov’s most prominent skills.
Although it’s not the perfect metric to quantify this talent, Michkov leads all Flyers forwards in on-ice shots generated per 60 minutes. Despite his rush game declining (which I blame on the system), he’s still keeping defenses on their heels. It’s just hard to realize if you’re not paying close attention.
Michkov’s actual point production hasn’t dipped much from this time last season, despite a two-minute decline in per-game usage. This leads into the title of this heading—the kid just needs a chance. When interim head coach Brad Shaw gave the 21-year-old top-line minutes in 2024–25, he flourished with 12 points in nine games. You don’t know until you try, and the Flyers haven’t tried.
Positive Two: Zegras Is a Top-Six Star
He’s cooled off recently, but that doesn’t change the fact that Trevor Zegras has been excellent. The 24-year-old has 20 goals and 28 assists in 55 games, pacing for 71–72 points—a career high.
Related: Flyers’ Trevor Zegras Embracing Team Amid New Belief
Among all forwards, Zegras ranks 41st in Wins Above Replacement (WAR), which quantifies impact. Part of his success can be attributed to an unsustainable 16.4% shooting clip, but the newcomer has been a pivotal top-line piece.
Considering his age, Zegras should be a top-six contributor in Philadelphia for years to come. He’s set to be a restricted free agent in the summer, but it’s safe to say that he won’t be going anywhere. If he can play down the middle in the future, this acquisition will be an even bigger win for the Orange and Black.
Positive Three: Barkey Has Taken the Leap
I have always been confident in Denver Barkey’s ability to adapt to life in the NHL. But I didn’t think he’d do it so fast. The 20-year-old winger was called up from the American Hockey League (AHL) midseason and hasn’t missed a beat.
Barkey has nine points in 21 games while averaging 13:44 per night. He’s making the most of a modest opportunity to get going in hockey’s toughest league.
Better yet, the on-ice product is more impressive than those numbers. His high IQ and constant motor have complemented the team well, and especially Michkov when the two are together. It’s been a treat to watch.
If not for bad puck luck, Barkey may be an even bigger story. He has an expected goal share above 60%, which is an elite mark.
This season has kind of been a nightmare. Michkov’s development, in the eyes of many, was the No. 1 priority. Instead, the head coach keeps calling him out. Not helping matters is that the team is too good for a top draft pick, but the playoffs already seem out of reach. However, there have been some positives. Let’s try to focus on those amid the drama.
