While the regular season won’t start until Oct. 9, Philadelphia Flyers hockey is back. Set to begin preseason on the evening of Sept. 21, they’ll be active in some capacity for the next several months. In this news and rumors report, we’ll break down a Matvei Michkov highlight, the team’s preseason schedule, and an interesting storyline at training camp.
Matvei Michkov Flaunts His Grit
Listed at 5-foot-10, Michkov isn’t often considered a “gritty” player. But the truth is that he has always been one. In a clip from training camp shared by NBC Sports Philadelphia‘s Jordan Hall, the 20-year-old star fights off contact, makes defenseman Ty Murchison take a seat on the ice, and sets up an easy goal for Nikita Grebenkin.
Rick Tocchet talked about noticing Matvei Michkov’s competitiveness and you can see it here.
— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) September 19, 2025
He takes a couple of crosschecks, outmuscles Ty Murchison and then sets up a goal. pic.twitter.com/0OatpSNYEk
On top of being one of the most deceptive players in the league and incredibly skilled, Michkov works a lot harder than outsiders realize. When he has the puck on his stick, you can’t just muscle it off of him. If defenders make that mistake in 2025–26, they should be prepared to pay the price: a goal and an embarrassing highlight against.
Flyers’ Preseason Schedule & Sept. 21 Lineup
For the first time since April 16, Flyers hockey is back. They begin their preseason on Sept. 21, and it’ll conclude on Oct. 4—five days before opening night. Their full preseason schedule is as follows (date, time; team, location):
- Sept. 21, 7 p.m. EST; New York Islanders, UBS Arena
- Sept. 23, 7 p.m. EST; Montreal Canadiens, Bell Centre
- Sept. 25, 7 p.m. EST; Washington Capitals, Giant Center
- Sept. 27, 5 p.m. EST; Boston Bruins, Xfinity Mobile Arena
- Sept. 29, 7 p.m. EST; Boston Bruins, TD Garden
- Oct. 2, 7 p.m. EST; New York Islanders, Xfinity Mobile Arena
- Oct. 4, 3 p.m. EST; New Jersey Devils, Xfinity Mobile Arena
Against the Islanders on Sunday, Flyers fans are expected to see No. 1 pick Matthew Schaefer take NHL ice for the first time. New York could be playing about half of its regular roster, including many of its stars.
Related: Islanders Draft Matthew Schaefer 1st Overall
On the Philadelphia side, it’s prospect- and depth-heavy with Michkov and Trevor Zegras in the mix, likely to lead the top line. Over the next two weeks, almost everyone left in training camp should get a look—the team iced 41 skaters last preseason, according to Natural Stat Trick.
Flyers’ Training Camp Storylines: Tocchet’s Making an Impact
Training camp is underway for the Orange and Black. Hired in May, head coach Rick Tocchet is already making an impact. Things are running smoother than ever.
Captain Sean Couturier said of his new bench boss, “Already had some really good conversations with him, probably more over the last three months than over two years with (John Tortorella). It’s fun to just go back and forth and get to know each other,” per PHLY‘s Charlie O’Connor.
Communication is at an all-time high, and gone are the days of Tortorella’s dreaded bag skate. As I hypothesized, the key to Tocchet’s success is being well-liked. So far, so good.
The Flyers aren’t expected to make the playoffs this season. The same goes for getting the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NHL Draft, which features phenom Gavin McKenna. Despite this, there’s optimism in the air. Tocchet is being entrusted with developing the team’s young players, and he might just be the man for the job.
A Few Words on Bernie Parent
Devastatingly, former Flyers goaltender Bernie Parent passed away over the weekend. He was 80 years old.
Parent was a legend on the ice, which we’ve covered on this site, but we also lost a great person. Instead of spending his post-retirement life secluded from the community, he embraced it and touched thousands of fans over the years.
They said, “Only the Lord saves more than Bernie.” The same could be said of his kindness.
Per NHL.com, his family requested donations be made to Ed Snider Youth Hockey & Education in lieu of flowers.
