In a Saturday, Dec. 20 clash with the New York Rangers, the season-long tension between Matvei Michkov and the Philadelphia Flyers‘ coaching staff briefly boiled over. He had an animated exchange with head coach Rick Tocchet and assistant coach Jaroslav Svejkovsky.
Madvei#LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/kIN7WEwe98
— Flyers Clips (@Flyers_Clips) December 20, 2025
For context, Michkov had just drawn an interference penalty from the Rangers’ Will Cuylle. It’s impossible to know what was said on the bench, but it could be about the hit he took. One fan speculated that the coaches weren’t happy with his positioning on the hit and that he didn’t protect himself well enough.
The 2025–26 season has been one of adaptation and learning for Michkov. There are times when that can be frustrating.
In all likelihood, the disagreement was nothing serious. But it was a notable incident for a player who really hasn’t lashed out this season, despite underwhelming usage (nearly two minutes off of his average ice time from 2024–25).
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