VOORHEES, N.J. — Everyone knows of the tough start to Matvei Michkov’s sophomore year, a season that has felt the weight of great expectations.

When it comes to a player like him, in a city like Philadelphia, the microscope is real.

So you can bet Michkov knows, too, when he’s not meeting his own standard. He was critical of himself Thursday, even amid a scoring surge of seven goals and three assists in the last 13 games.

“What’s happening right now, I’m not feeling good about it, I’m not happy about my points, I’m sure I can do much better and make better for the team,” Michkov said through translator Slava Kuznetsov, a Flyers consultant. “And, of course, score. You cannot score in every game, but physically need to be ready for it.

“In February, I need to spend the time to be ready for the rest of the season. If you’re going to have the good physical form, everything else will come along.”

From Feb. 6-24, the Flyers will go 19 days without a game because of the Olympic break. It sounds like Michkov wants to take advantage of that time to prepare for the Flyers’ stretch run.

For different reasons, the 20-year-old winger wasn’t in the best shape to open the season. When asked how he might train differently next offseason, Michkov mentioned not going home to Russia for the whole summer.

“I think I will start training here,” he said.

The Flyers certainly don’t mind when players stay in the area to work out at the facility under the team’s watch.

“I think as a young kid, you always look at options to get better,” Rick Tocchet said Thursday. “Obviously there’s a lot of good stuff around here. If that’s his choice, we can help him.”

Michkov had a slow start with one goal through 13 games. He now has eight goals and eight assists over 26 games, putting him on pace for 25 goals and 25 assists, which really wouldn’t be disappointing.

Based off practices, morning skates, game action and what the Flyers have been saying, it’s evident that Michkov has worked hard at his overall game. His competitiveness has always been there.

“I don’t want him to worry about points,” Tocchet said. “He was focused on goals and assists, he has got to be careful with that. Those things will come by doing the right things. And I think he has tried to do the right things, where to go in certain areas, he’s getting better at, definitely.”

There has been a learning process for Michkov with a new coaching staff and system. Tocchet and assistant coaches Yogi Svejkovsky and Jay Varady have all spent time working with him. But Tocchet said the coaches have learned, as well, through the process.

“Yogi was talking to him, then Jay, then I was — earlier on, we were giving him so much information, I think we could frustrate him a little bit,” Tocchet said. “I think the last three weeks, we’ve really dialed in how we do it. ‘OK, one coach has him for today. Hey, let’s give him a break today, let’s not talk even system, talk about anything or something else.'”

The Flyers don’t want to bog down Michkov.

“I think we just, collectively, have managed how we give him information,” Tocchet said. “Because he seems to be grasping it more these last three weeks than he did the first three weeks. I think as coaches, we’ve adjusted. Sometimes we overcoach or we’re overcorrecting, and we’ve got to be careful.”

Michkov has seen improvement with his game.

“A little bit better than the beginning,” he said with a laugh. “Feel better, feel faster. Every game, have to be a little bit better. It’s not my maximum.”

Over the last three games, Michkov has a pair of multi-point efforts.

Perhaps he’s turning a corner.

“Concentrate on the work, deep into the work,” Michkov said. “Work until it’s going to happen. … I know I’m talented and I just need to work.”