‘Poor guy’: Rick Tocchet comments on Matvei Michkov after difficult start to the season


Flyers forward Matvei Michkov

Photo credit: The Liberty Line

Philadelphia Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet, in his first year behind the Flyers bench, talked about the slower start to the year for second year forward Matvei Michkov.

Even though Philadelphia Flyers forward Matvei Michkov was in the running to be named the Calder Trophy winner as the NHL’s best rookie last year, he appears to be going through the dreaded sophomore slump.

In the 15 games he’s played in, he only has eight points (3G, 5A) and is on pace to come nowhere close to his output in his first season of 63 points (26G, 37A).

Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet, who is in his first year behind the Flyers bench after coming over from the Vancouver Canucks, recently talked about the language barrier that sometimes makes communication difficult but also pointed out how captain Sean Couturier is helping with it.

There’s a language barrier, poor guy, every time we talk to him it’s correcting a mistake. I was on the board with Michkov about something, Coots came right over, and I can tell Mich really values Coots. He has a great way of delivering a message. We have to remember where he comes from with playing and what he was taught. From what I was told it’s do what you want out there. He knows it’s a team game, not an individual. He’s getting it, he’s playing better every game. This was the fastest I’ve seen him. – Rick Tocchet

Matvei Michkov Reportedly Showed Up To Flyers Training Camp Out Of Shape

There were reports in September that Michkov showed up for his second NHL training camp not in the best of shape.

The initial reports came from former NHL players Ryan Whitney and Paul Bissonnette of the Spittin Chiclets’ podcast:

I’ve got little birdies everywhere, and I’m hearing that he didn’t come in in great shape. -Ryan Whitney

He’s out of shape. He’s out of shape… Not from Tocch (Rick Tocchet), but I heard he’s out of shape. – Paul Bissonnette

Michkov holds high value to the Flyers organization and they’re going to want him to be the best version of himself to help the team overall.

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‘Poor guy’: Rick Tocchet comments on Matvei Michkov after difficult start to the season

Is Matvei Michkov going through the dreaded sophomore slump?