The Philadelphia Flyers‘ tough-love treatment of their young face of the franchise, Matvei Michkov, has reached a breaking point. Fans are split into two factions.
One side of the fan base has bought into head coach Rick Tocchet‘s vision. He is the future of the team, and he will pave the way for championships—kind of like Paul Maurice of the Florida Panthers. If a player is disruptive to his style, they’re not worth the time of day.
The other side of the fan base thinks Michkov, who looked like a superstar at the end of last season with expanded usage, deserves better. He’s playing under 15 minutes a night and has been in the “dog house” even after positive showings. They feel that his talent is being wasted.
The solution here is quite simple. Philadelphia should trade Michkov to a team that will embrace his presence, rather than push him away. This would appease both factions.
Why the “Michkov Isn’t Good Enough” Faction Will Be Happy
This side of the fan base doesn’t care about the name on the back of each jersey—they care about the logo on the front. With an 8–5–1 record to start this campaign, they’re thrilled with this team’s start. The Orange and Black are finally competitive again.
To be clear, this faction doesn’t exactly want Michkov to be traded. But it wouldn’t bother them, either. Fitting Tocchet’s system is a must, and the sophomore winger has been on the coach’s naughty list a few times. If you don’t fit the scheme, you don’t fit the team.
Trading Michkov would get the Flyers a litany of assets, potentially ending their long playoff drought (2020–21 to present). While the team may not “win” the deal on paper, they can get assets to ensure Tocchet’s success. Out goes a third-line player who’s a bit of an outcast, and in comes a potentially game-breaking talent.
Accountability is important. This decision will seem rash even to some in this group, but Tocchet hockey would be better off for it in the short term, and maybe even the long term. Instead of a rebuilding process reliant on hope, fans can see a young team win games now.
Today, the Flyers possess a wildcard spot. That’s without the team’s high-end prospect pool, which includes 2025 sixth-overall pick Porter Martone. Could you imagine adding that, plus the return for Michkov, to a roster catered to the head coach?
Why the “Michkov Deserves Better” Faction Will Be Happy
This side of the fan base, in many cases, believes Michkov is playing well enough to earn big minutes—he just isn’t. When a player like Travis Konecny has been getting top-line usage all season long despite his notable struggles, it comes off as a bit hypocritical. It undermines Tocchet’s entire mission.
Related: Flyers’ Daniel Brière Is Sabotaging Matvei Michkov’s Career—And His Job
Connor Bedard and Macklin Celebrini, drafted first overall in 2023 and 2024, respectively, are the only two players in the NHL with 22-plus points this season. They’re getting big minutes and totally dominating the competition—it’s been amazing to see their development.
That impact may seem out of Michkov’s grasp, but it’s actually not. He regularly played on the first line under interim head coach Brad Shaw at the end of last season, and the 20-year-old put up 12 points in nine games. With that same efficiency in 2025–26, he’d have 19 points, just behind the two young phenoms.
Fans on the “Michkov deserves better” train think that Tocchet is being extra hard on Michkov, and should the youngster get a chance, he’d exponentially raise the team’s ceiling. While they are 8–5–1, they’ve depended on elite goaltending from Dan Vladař to bail them out of certain doom. That could be unsustainable.
With Tocchet signing a five-year contract in May, it’s clear that he’s not going anywhere. But his relationship with Russian players has never been great, and some star forwards have declined or stagnated under his watch. A Tocchet-Michkov duo, consequently, could be one that never works out.
Tocchet’s style, for better or worse, is also kind of boring to watch. It’s low-event, and defensive forwards get far more love than high-skilled ones. This, along with a half-century Stanley Cup drought, can be frustrating for even the most loyal fans.
Compare this year to the Brad Shaw “era” last year.
— Justin Giampietro (@justingiam) November 7, 2025
Are you having more or less fun watching the Flyers?
A hypothetical Michkov trade would offer them another rooting interest. They can still cheer for the Flyers and also pick up his new team, closely watching his development under an organization that recognizes the gold mine they’ve landed.
Ultimately, the Flyers are unlikely to trade Michkov—there are no signs that the player isn’t committed to the Orange and Black. But if a deal were explored, it could maximize fan morale.
