There’s been a lot of talk about Matvei Michkov’s viral video that shows he hates the dump and chase…

A few days ago Tocchet appeared on a podcast and discussed the entire viral video and did so in a way that proves he will be exactly what flyers fans have needed and been waiting for from a coach… he’s able to think of things on several levels…

Here is the Tocchet interview on the nasty knuckles podcast. 

Tocchet admitted he’d give Michkov a hard time for the comment, but clarified he understands where Michkov is coming from: “he wants to hold on to pucks, and he’s got that talent”고   “we’ve got to allow him to have that creativity. He also emphasized context matters when it comes to puck decisions: “if your skates are sideways… and there’s no speed… trying to make a play… a no‑speed play… that’s not the right play.   “If you want to play late in the middle of June and win a Stanley Cup, you can’t play that way.” In other words, make the high-skill play only when it makes sense.”

Besides being beloved by his players, wherever he has coached, it’s important to remember that Rick Tocchet also played several different roles as a player and has played with some of the most skilled players ever played the game.  When he started off on the Flyers, he was very much a dump and chase type player,   He was also an enforcer who played the game on the emotional edge.   As his career went on his skills developed, and he became much more of a scorer eventually playing with Mario Lemieux in Pittsburgh….In 1992–93 with the Penguins, he notched his NHL career-high 109 points, including 48 goals and 61 assists.

He was a 4 time NHL All-Star.

So in the clip above when he is talking about skilled players versus non-skilled players in various game spots, players have no choice, but to trust him becausehis is the guy who lived it.   

Tocchet also holds an record that show skill and grit.  A “Gordie Howe Hattrick” is when a player scores a goal gets an assist and gets in a fight in the same game..

Most NHL Gordie Howe Hattricks

1

Rick Tocchet

18

2

Brendan Shanahan

17

3

Brian Sutter

17

4

Wilf Paiement

16

5

Cam Neely

12

6

Jarome Iginla

11