Philadelphia Flyers
Predicting Matvei Michkov’s Next Contract
While the ‘26 free agency class will headline next offseason, one thing will remain on the Flyers’ mind: Matvei Michkov’s extension. What could it look like?
While the 2026 offseason will be headlined by the super FA class, there is one thing that will have the Flyers attention: Matvei Michkov is eligible for an extension.
Starting July 1st, 2026, Michkov will be eligible to sign his first extension. That sparks an intriguing conversation. Should you pay your young stars early, or give them a bridge deal before their big contract?
With Michkov, it should be a no brainer.
He’ll be 21 years when next offseason rolls around. After a 63 point rookie campaign, he can really push his dollar amount by having another fantastic year.
It may sound crazy, but Flyers should lock him up long term after this season. With the cap only expected rise, extending Michkov early is the smart thing to do.
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Predicting Michkov’s Extension
To predict Michkov’s RFA extension, you’d have to look at the others that have been extended this early in their careers.
Recently, Matthew Knies signed a six-year, $46.5 million extension in Toronto. He is 22. Logan Stankoven signed an eight-year, $48 million deal in Carolina at age 22.
While both players signed young extensions, neither player has procured like Michkov has in just one year.
Connor McDavid signed an eight year, $100 million extension with Edmonton when he was 20, back in 2017. The Oilers gave Leon Draisaitl an eight-year, $68 million extension at 21.
While he’s not McDavid, I can see Michkov falling in the group with Draisaitl, Andrei Svechnikov, Tim Stutzle, Kirill Kaprizv, and Matthew Tkachuk, who all signed long-term extensions with AAVs around $8-9 million before they were 22.
Sounds simple, right? Michkov should get a long-term deal with around $8.5-9M AAV.
It gets a little more complicated than that.
With the way the cap is expected to rise, that number could be extremely inflated.
Thus, the RFA extensions of some of the biggest U23 stars in the game could set the tone.
Connor Bedard, Logan Cooley, Leo Carlsson, and Adam Fantilli are all pending RFAs, eligible for an extension.
Depending on the extensions of Bedard and Cooley, Michkov could bring in a fortune.
Term should be as long as possible. Eight years would bring him to age 29. I also predict that AAV will touch eight digits.
So, my prediction for Matvei Michkov’s extension: eight years, $82.5 million.
What do you think Michkov’s extension will look like?
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I agree with that number, potentially. Depends on this year. His progress etc. I personally believe he is a star in the making. Excited to watch him and The Flyers grow!!! (If we could just get our hands on an All Star goalie – and keep him)
Hey you’re stealing my thoughts! Stop that!!! LOL Patience my man Rome wasn’t built in a day. Within 2 years they will have that goalie. Then the fun will begin.
We have him now…Darth Vladar has arrived in Philly. When it comes to goalies…he is the Death Star.
I would wait half of this year’s schedule and then make an offer. It will tell the Flyers which direction Matty is going. Whether he is taking his game to the next level or he is a good player in a sophomore slump. It will give the club better insight as to the offer they should make. Now my guess is he takes it to the next level and the Flyers need to honor that with a long term deal of 9 or 10 million a year for 8 to 10 years.
A bridge deal wouldn’t be bad here either. It would give the the Flyers a little more time to evaluate Matty and come up with a better long-term contract. But no matter what the man needs to be resigned. The possibility of him,Zegras and Martone playing on the same line for years to come has me salivating!!!
“8-10 years”? Lot of 10-year contracts out there I am unaware of? Chuckle.
I think it will be 8x76M.
10m × 7yr.
Now if they can just get McTavish out of Anaheim. This would look like a competent top9.
McTavish, Zegras, Couturier, and Dvorak are a decent looking Center core with some elite upside in the top6 and elite shutdown potential in the bottom6.
If they wait two years to sign him, I believe they are limited to 7 years max because of the new CBA. I think they will come in just under 10 million @ 8×78.
The new NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) has been ratified and will take effect on September 16, 2026, so the Flyers could still sign Michkov for 8 years, assuming they get it done before that. I’d put it a $10 million per season.
This is a decision that I’m glad can wait for at least another year.
I love Michkov and think he’s the real deal.
That said, the road to salary cap hell (at least for the Flyers) has been paved with long-term contracts. Even deals to players I really liked (like Sean Couturier) aren’t looking quite as good as they did at the time they were made.
Hopefully Michkov has a great year in 25-26 and confirms what we all think of him. But at the same time, let’s remember that things don’t always turn out exactly as we hope and the league has a way of figuring players out over time. Injuries can also bring even the best players down to the level of mere mortals.
He’s obviously one of our best players and I have no problem paying him as such. He just needs to earn the term. Let’s see how we feel next May.
Earn the term? It would be idiotic to give him a bridge contract next year because it will cost the team in the long run. Sign him next summer to an eight year contract
He’s the best talent the team has had since Lindros and should end up in the HOF.