Flyers Update on Michkov: ‘Frustrated, Very Driven, Very Focused’

The Philadelphia Flyers remain in constant contact with first-round draft pick, Matvei Michkov, who is playing in Russia.

“I know, Riley [Armstrong, director of player development], there’s some app that he can translate,” Philadelphia Flyers assistant general manager Brent Flahr told the media Monday at the Flyers Training Center in Voorhees. “They’ve been in contact.

“[Fellow Russian, defenseman Egor] Zamula’s been in contact, talks to him regularly. Obviously we’re in touch with his agent.”

Michkov plays for HC Sochi, on loan from SKA St. Petersburg. He was a healthy scratch in three of SKA’s first four games and he only saw 6:12 of ice-time in the game he played.

Michkov skates a regular shift with Sochi. He took 10 shots in a recent game.

“Matvei was extremely frustrated not playing,” Flahr said. “He had a goal to be in the top scoring league and you’re sitting there and they have 40-some players on their roster. Obviously he was frustrated.

“As a young guy, in Russia you’re gonna have to bite your tongue and just put in the work and hopefully get to play. I think for him to move back to Sochi, he just wants to play and personally that’s all I care about.

“He’s a young kid he needs to play games. He’s very driven, very focused and at least he’s playing. He’s going to play lots of minutes and get opportunities.”

Michkov was a first-round pick in June, the seventh overall pick. He has a three-year contract to play with SKA St. Petersburg.