On Wednesday night, the Philadelphia Flyers lost 3-2 in overtime to the Edmonton Oilers. Despite the loss, they played a strong game, outshooting the Oilers 32-24 and storming back from a 2-0 deficit to force overtime. It was one of their better all-around efforts of what to this point has been a miserable season.
And none of that mattered nearly as much as the team’s attempts to quell the firestorm surrounding Matvei Michkov.
On Tuesday evening, ESPN’s Kevin Weekes — citing multiple league sources — reported that Michkov “would likely want a new start elsewhere.” That came on the heels of a viral video of Michkov getting into a heated argument on the bench with defenseman Nick Seeler during Monday’s 3-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks. Given Michkov’s importance to the Flyers — he leads the team in goals and points this season, and is one of the most important young players (arguably the most important) of their rebuild, the news predictably and justifiably sparked a firestorm.
General manager Daniel Briere and Comcast Spectacor chairman and CEO Dan Hilferty both flew to Edmonton to join up with the team (only president of hockey operations Keith Jones was on this portion of the trip initially) and deal with the situation. At morning skate, the players (including Michkov) and head coach Rick Tocchet had their chances to address it. About two and a half hours before puck drop, Briere did the same on a video call with local reporters.
Let’s dive into the biggest takeaways from the day.
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21 Comments (12 conversations)
William Amick
I’m gonna pound the table on this — Michkov needs another Russian in the locker room to help him acclimate with the team. Someone who has been through the same circumstance and has acclimated to the ways of the NHL and North America.
Richard
I think this is probably correct. There has to be an available Russian defenseman who is equal to or better than Simon Benoit. Or a 4th line forward.
Kevin Schaeffer
Agreed!
Mike Smith
sounds like a job for the number one cop on the force, Sergei Bobrovsky. even though he’s a loose cannon
Robert Fleishman
100% AGREE!!
Matt O'Brien
Michkov rebelling against the toxic Flyers culture that has pervaded this organization for decades is incredible. Winning is what matters to him first, not culture
Kevin Schaeffer
Thank you!
Warren Broudy
I agree with william very strange the flyers can’t find a Russian vet to help Michkov acclimate . I.e. Washington Proteus bros and ovechkin
Todd Agnello
I am surprised more isn’t being talked about that the league sources Kevin spoke to. Things are bad in Philly and other GMs and Team Execs are hitting back on Flyers for the offer sheet they made to Carlson and ramping up salaries faster than anyone wanted on mgmt side of league. Why not make it difficult for Briere and Flyers and put doubt where they can.
jamesiy
I would have liked to see more local and national thoughts on this angle. The timing coming right after the GM meetings sparks the conspiracy theorist in me.
Michael Curran
So everyone is playing nice for right now. Not unexpected. I agree with Charlie, this isn’t over.
Tocchet still needs to go. The coach cannot be implicating team issues behind the scenes. He has to be the first one into the fray to quell this stuff not contributing to the pot stirring.
Kevin Schaeffer
51 years
….tick tick tick
Stephen Van Horn
I remain a DieHard for exactly this kind of content. No one covers my Flyers with as much professionalism and in as much detail. And I appreciate Bill’s wit and wisdom as well.
ifollowcharlieo
Same.
John Connolly
At the end of the day, Michkov wants to win. The solution is to start winning or show you have a plan in place to get there. The start to this season sure seems to show the Flyers currently don’t have a path to real contention, and I suspect the message Michkov is trying to send is show me a path to contention (which in his mind, involves him playing more).
Bradford Boston
All the mind reading and hair splitting going on by fans and media is exhausting and actually feeding the frenzy……
ifollowcharlieo
It does seem that the only way to shut this stuff down is for Briere to sign him to a contract of some length for too much money. I say LFG on that. Our rebuild wagon is hitched to Michkov, for better or worse. I’m guessing better, but we will see.
Miles Uhlar
So who in the room do we really think has a problem with Michkov?
I have kind of a hard time seeing that it’s really Coots, Konecny or Sanheim. Those guys have done too much losing not to know how much they really need Michkov’s talent. To me, it seems more likely to lie in the 23-27 buddy buddy hot shot type core, who all seem like huge ego, first round types that probably like to think they are better or just as good as Michkov and get pissy about how popular he is with the fans. Specifically, I look at York, Foerster, Zegras and (maybe to a slightly lesser extent) Drysdale. They seem to be the most underperforming, problematic part of the team right now.
Probably never know for sure. But I’d like to launch York into the stratosphere, as far away from Philly as possible. Torts may be an ass. But it take one to know one, and he certainly saw one in York…
Michael Curran
You certainly make a good point,Miles. As for those 4 and any others, you know how you get around a players popularity? Play better yourselves and win hockey games. As the old expression goes…..Winning cures a lot of ills. From where I sit it looks like Michkov is the only one willing to play to win games.
Michael Sheahan
Why O’conner, do you buy this “Michkov” wants out” story so much? It seems to me that Weekes didn’t exactly check his “sources” very well before just causing yet more trouble for a team that does not need any more of that at this time. Using your own word: it’s a “nothingburger” You go on and on like as if it’s true, even after strong denials by both the player and agent.
Charlie O'Connor
AuthorI think I explain pretty well in the piece why I don’t buy that it’s a nothingburger.
1. Weekes is a good, well-sourced reporter with a strong track record.
2. There IS tension in the room right now, with Michkov at the center. I have heard this, and Briere implicitly acknowledged this, even as he downplayed its importance.
3. Michkov himself had an opportunity with his comments to forcefully deny discontent generally and the report specifically, and he instead basically chose a broken English “no comment.”