How Matvei Michkov Changes Flyers Roster in 2024

On Sunday, some of the biggest news of the NHL offseason so far broke, and that’s Matvei Michkov reportedly planning to terminate his contract with SKA St. Petersburg with the intention of joining the Philadelphia Flyers this summer. But, what exactly does Michkov’s impending arrival mean for the Flyers roster in the immediate future?

For starters, we already know the Flyers have a wealth of right wings, whether they be natural right-shot wingers like Travis Konecny, or inverted right wings like Michkov. In addition to those two, Owen Tippett and Tyson Foerster figure to feature in the Flyers’ top-six, though both will be inverted left wings in all likelihood.

That leaves pending RFA Bobby Brink, potential trade or buyout candidate Cam Atkinson, Noah Cates, Nick Deslauriers, Joel Farabee, and Garnet Hathaway to jockey for the last four places.

We know already that Deslauriers has settled into a reduced role for the Flyers as the team continues the facelift of its NHL roster, and Flyers general manager Danny Briere has told Philly Hockey Now that they love Hathaway and would love to extend his contract beyond this season if agreeable for both sides.

Barring any sort of trade, it’s reasonable to assume that Farabee and Brink assume their usual places somewhere in the Flyers’ middle-six, especially with Briere expecting Brink to make the Flyers’ NHL roster again this season.

All signs point to Atkinson being the odd man out, if for no reason other than this being a numbers game. Had Michkov not been coming over this year, Atkinson might have had the chance to reprise his role as a rotational veteran and a reliable penalty killer.

Instead, the Flyers are all but committed to the development of Brink. The front office’s affinity for the way Hathaway plays and leads the young Flyers also works against Atkinson, as those two players play very different styles of hockey.

And now that Michkov is coming, expect the Flyers to really test some of their prospects who are on the fence. For management, it’s imperative to see which players have the juice to be able to complement their 19-year-old sensation in the future.

Prospects knocking on the door who fit that bill include names like Adam Ginning, Ronnie Attard, Emil Andrae, and even Egor Zamula.

Between getting looks at prospects and clearing out their winger logjam, expect the Flyers to have an active summer away from the NHL free agent market.