It has not been the start to the 2025-26 season that the Flyers or Matvei Michkov had hoped for the sophomore star.

After a season where Michkov should have been a Calder finalist, expectations were lofty, and he has yet to live up to the bar he set for himself. The second-year winger started this season “behind the eight ball” in his conditioning after dealing with an ankle issue in the offseason.

It was not the prettiest start for Michkov. However, in each game, Michkov has shown improvement both with and without the puck.

One thing that has been missing? Michkov had not scored since his first of the season, 10/16 vs. Winnipeg. The 20-year-old winger had been collecting assists, five of them to be exact, since that game against Winnipeg. Now, he has finally scored his second goal of the year.

Michkov netted the second-period equalizer in Thursday’s win vs. the Predators. Could that be what he needs to let loose this season?

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Is a Michkov Breakout on the Horizon?

Heading into Thursday’s game, Michkov had just four primary points: two assists and a goal. It has been a struggle for him to get going.

However, it felt like it had been an every-game occurrence where he made a perfect centering pass with nobody home, or he was in prime position and his teammates could not get him the puck.

The numbers may not suggest it, but Michkov has been very good lately. When he is on the ice, the Flyers have an expected goals percentage of 53.38%, per Natural Stat Trick, suggesting the team’s offense has higher quality chances while he is on the ice.

Despite that, it feels like the Flyers are never able to get it done while Michkov is out, and it has felt more like bad luck than poor play.

When a player is slumping like Michkov had been, sometimes all it takes is one for the goals to start coming.

Ice Time is the Last Hurdle

Michkov’s ice time had been limited early in the season. Rick Tocchet wanted to see him tune some things up before he was trusted with more ice time. Whether that be defensive play, leaving the zone too early, or even being out of the play altogether, Michkov has tightened it up and shown improvement.

Now, some things are out of his control. Michkov is not a penalty-killer. So, when the team commits five penalties (three penalty kills), his ice time is bound to dip. That is not to mention the fact that the Flyers were holding on to a one-goal lead late in the game. Those shifts are going to be given to the defensive forwards.

Despite that, Tocchet still needs to find a way to get Michkov more ice time. The young star had just 11:58 in on ice time at five-on-five in 15 shifts. Again, he does not kill penalties, and the team only had one power play chance. Of course, guys like Travis Konecny, Noah Cates, and Sean Couturier, who do both, are going to have more time than Michkov.

However, Michkov still needs more time. Owen Tippett had 15:19 at five-on-five, over three minutes more with four more shifts.

Matvei Michkov is on the verge of breaking through; ice time is the last hurdle.

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