The month of October was a relatively disappointing one for the Philadelphia Flyers, going 4-6-1 and being outscored 41-31. However, rookie Matvei Michkov did not disappoint. With four goals and five assists for nine points in 11 games, he was the NHL’s Rookie of the Month.
MM39 HAS ARRIVED.
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) November 1, 2024
Congrats to Matvei Michkov on being named the @NHL's Rookie of the Month for October. #LetsGoFlyers https://t.co/j6ZOhJhGFr
Being 19 years old and all, the hope for the Flyers is that Michkov will get better as time progresses. That’s not to say he has been disappointing, though. By a substantial margin, he is Philadelphia’s best creator of expected goals relative to the team. He hasn’t quite gotten the best puck luck at times, but he’s fresh in the NHL and is constantly learning.
Related: Philadelphia Flyers’ Matvei Michkov Has Been Productive in All Situations
Michkov is still figuring out how to be an effective player in all facets of the game. He has seen some inconsistency in both creating offense and keeping the puck out of harm’s way, but he has shown the ability to take over games in the blink of an eye. An underrated part of his game is his ability to transition from the defensive zone to the offensive zone when he has the puck on his stick.
One of the most important things for the Flyers to accomplish this season is to make Michkov comfortable and to see some growth. If this is just the beginning, the seventh pick of the 2023 NHL Draft has a bright future ahead of him.
