It wouldn’t be hyperbole to call the Vancouver Canucks‘ recent Quinn Hughes trade one of the biggest in NHL history. Not often do you see a Norris Trophy-winning defenseman be dealt at 26 years old—he has a very bright career ahead of him, with the potential to bring the Minnesota Wild their first-ever championship.
Related: Wild’s Bill Guerin & Team React to Quinn Hughes Trade
The Hughes rumors were very public, so much so that we knew the Philadelphia Flyers had some interest. However, the prospects of a deal were killed when Porter Martone and Matvei Michkov became the asking price and the team refused, per Daily Faceoff‘s Anthony Di Marco.
Landing a player of Hughes’ caliber could have turned the playoff hopeful Flyers—17–9–6 on the season—into a true contender. His style of play is the perfect complement to what the Orange and Black do. Missing out is quite disappointing.
So, that begs the question: why was Michkov off limits? While I’m of the belief that he is one of the top young players in the sport and has best-in-the-NHL upside, it makes absolutely no sense to me that he’d be untouchable. The Flyers don’t seem committed to developing the player, yet don’t seem committed to moving off of him, either.
Tocchet and the Flyers Don’t Want to Develop Michkov
Newly hired head coach Rick Tocchet hasn’t tried to hide his feelings. Right now, he is not a big Michkov fan, whose offseason training left him “out of shape” entering camp. This is a point that the 61-year-old bench boss has emphasized repeatedly throughout the last few months, seemingly in an attempt to justify the sophomore winger’s anemic usage (ninth among Flyer forwards per-game).
Now, I won’t make the argument that Michkov should be getting first-line minutes, even if he excelled in that role last season. The Flyers almost certainly wouldn’t be on pace for 102 points with a game plan centered around the 21-year-old. They’d probably be more like the San Jose Sharks: low ceiling, high floor, and fairly inconsistent. At this stage, he’s capable of running a team, but not a contending team.
There’s a vast difference between making Michkov the face of the operation and not trying to develop him at all, though. Creativity and skillful plays in transition—hallmarks of his game—have been completely outlawed in a system where preventing scoring chances is the primary goal.
The Flyers’ system is so risk-averse that the “prevent scoring chances at all costs” philosophy even applies on the power play. It’s part of the reason why Michkov hasn’t been getting regular looks with Trevor Zegras, despite their undeniable chemistry.
So keep an eye on whether this new Zegras/Michkov/Konecny/Tippett PP unit can avoid giving up shorthanded rushes against. That's their path to staying together long-term, it seems.
— Charlie O'Connor (@charlieo_conn) December 3, 2025
You see, the Flyers’ primary concern this season isn’t to let Michkov learn how to run an offense. It’s to win hockey games by any means necessary. If the face of the franchise has to be on the sidelines, so be it.
That’s exactly what’s happened. Michkov has solid on-ice numbers, and his 18 points in 32 games rank sixth on the team—disappointing, sure, but not bad. After all, he’s a young player in a new, restrictive system, averaging two fewer minutes than last season. His ability to adapt still hasn’t changed his fate, though.
This lack of commitment to a potential superstar isn’t just Tocchet’s fault. The front office that hired him seven months ago has a hand in this, too.
PHLY beat reporter Charlie O’Connor had an interesting quote on Dec. 14 that relates to this idea. “Zegras is getting the minutes and getting the usage that Michkov got last year. And it’s almost like they feel like they had to use Michkov in those situations because they had no one else.”
So, basically, the acquisition of Zegras in the offseason wasn’t to aid Michkov. It was to replace him. Tocchet was merely hired to carry out the vision of Daniel Brière and the front office.
Tocchet’s System Needs Hughes to Excel
What makes this more confusing is that Tocchet’s system depends on a player like Hughes. Unlike the other 99% of defensemen, he can transition the puck from defense to offense without breaking a sweat, possessing the speed and stick skills to maneuver through the neutral zone.
Hughes is one of the league’s top defensive play-drivers, and most importantly, Tocchet trusts him (and vice versa, making an extension more likely). Hughes prevents chances against while simultaneously creating high-danger opportunities for his own team. This unlocks the full potential of Tocchet’s scheme.
Without a player like Hughes, it’s just hard to see the Flyers winning a championship with this head coach. In the playoffs, shootout wins and loser points don’t cut it—you must dominate the opposition at 5-on-5. With a 48.39% expected goal share, the Orange and Black do not.
Now, as the Flyers’ prospects graduate and their young roster players improve, that number should theoretically go up. They should start to out-chance teams a bit more. But it’s an undeniable truth that a 26-year-old Hughes would maximize this system for years to come.
The Flyers aren’t committed to Michkov’s development this season. Trading him for Hughes would have given Tocchet the upside to win championships in his shutdown defensive, opportunistic offensive system. The 21-year-old being off limits makes no sense.
