Philadelphia Flyers
Flyers Postgame: Tocchet Explains Michkov’s Absence in Overtime
Though the season is still young, Flyers’ phenom Matvei Michkov was not on the ice for the team’s most significant moment of the season (so far).
The Flyers lost their battle with the Carolina Hurricanes Saturday night, 4-3 in overtime. Despite the Flyers never trailing by more than a score, Michkov, one of the team’s biggest scoring threats, barely saw the ice. In fact, Michkov’s 13:27 TOI was the lowest amongst the top-nine forwards.
Michkov did not see the ice in the final 1:56 of the game, despite the tied score. Making matters worse, Michkov did not touch the ice during overtime. That is, even though he was the team’s leading overtime goal scorer last season with three.
It seemed like Flyers’ head coach Rick Tocchet had benched Michkov. While it was not necessarily a benching, Tocchet explained his reasoning.
When asked why the young phenom did not see any ice during clutch time, Tocchet told reporters, “I just wanted the guys who I thought were skating.”
Bobby Brink and Noah Cates were used heavily during the extra frame. Trevor Zegras, Tyson Foerster, and Sean Couturier were also used frequently. Even Christian Dvorak got two shifts. Travis Konecny, the team’s biggest star, was used sparingly throughout OT.
Read More: James: Cates Line Comes Through, Two Vets Have Not
Where Has MIchkov Been?
After a stellar rookie season for Michkov, he has been quiet to start the new campaign. His impact was felt in nearly every game last season. The rookie was easily one of the most essential Flyers last season.
This year, he is off to a slow start. It’s no cause for panic. There are 80 games left in the season, plenty of time for the young talent to get things going. However, his start surely justifies Tocchet’s decision.
So far, Michkov has tallied just two shots on goal, and none Saturday night. For the most part, he has just blended in. The only time Michkov was really noticeable Saturday night was when he tried to fight Will Carrier in Konecny’s defense. Of course, teammates and officials would step in before anything materialized, and only Michkov got a roughing penalty, which was totally justified.
Again, it’s a long season. There should not be too much worry; he’ll figure it out. But as far as Saturday night, Tocchet had every right to go with the guys who got him to overtime Saturday night.
I understand the decision. It does make sense. However, personally, I disagree. Despite the slow start, you should have your best players on the ice in a sudden-death overtime.
Now, focus will shift to the home opener on Monday. Can Michkov put on a show in front of the home crowd?
Read More: James: How I’d Shuffle the Lines After the Season-Opening Loss
I have calmed down only a little after that OT goal was taken away for “goalie interference”. Total bullshit call by the “Situation Room”. Andersen was barely touched and if you watch it again, he extends his arm which enabled the contact. I am tired of this League, with its anti-Flyers bias, screwing the Flyers at any opportunity. I have seen it too often. The coach/GM/President should call them out on this bullshit. We hang with one of the better teams in the league with a good effort, beat them in OT, and the league literally robs us of it. Absolute injustice, and it’s infuriating.
That was goalie interference dude. Can’t skate through the blue crease and make contact like that. Was a good call. Flyers can’t expect to win much when Konecny and Michkov are ghosts out there. And it’s HARD to get noticed playing with Couturier as your Center. Guys an overrated, overpaid sloth. Couturier should have NEVER gotten the Captaincy.
Is THAT the example we want leading this team?
Nope, not buying it. Watch the replay again. Andersen extends his arm and that caused the minor contact, which wasn’t nearly enough to prevent him from defending the net.
Playing Couturier with Michkov us absolutely LAUGHABLE. Get Michkov someone he can freaking play with. Dvorak and Couturier? C’mon. Couturier shouldn’t be seeing any kind of top6 minutes or usage after what we’ve seen from him so far thus year.
Michov-Zegras-Kocheny
Brink-Cates-Forester
Tippett-Coots-Dvorak (third line?)
We need to move Forwards to get better D-man… cuz Nikita needs top 9 minutes
Anthony Di Marco suggested a trade around Tippett and Andrae for Byram. I doubt there’s any real traction to that, don’t know if the Flyers would trade Tippett this year… but that would be the perfect storm.
I think the Flyers, as they often have, jumped the gun on Tippett. He’s not going to produce at a level that matches the contract they gave him. If they can find a decent deal, I would trade him.
Grebenkin-Zegras-Michkov
Tippett-Couturier-Konecny
Foerster-Cates-Brink
Dvorak-Luchanko/Abols-Hathaway
Michkov has to do it himself……Kaprizov does not need a center……Michkov is a liability on defense and slow afoot, but has all the other offensive skills. If he needs a center, then he is not what he is suppose to be.
Tocc needs to double-shift him on the PP and also in OT with all that open ice.
Because of his defensive liabilities in 5v5 he needs a defensive line-mate…thus Coots. And he should never be on the PK until his defense picks up.
I agree with you on Coots – he provides little offense and should be the fourth line center in a checking role.
Sanhiem’s skates were in the blue so it was a 50/50 call. Toc should have put Michkov on the Brink Cates line He would have thrived in their style of play and allow him to be the creative genius that he is. Down on that line he will have flexibility and opportunity to find the back of the net more often. Also strategically no one would expect to have a star player that far down the line. Michkov can play with anyone but playing him where he can be the most productive is the most important thing.
Can you imagine if Torts Sat him and the outrage today. Lol
For the second consecutive game Tocchet is looking like his predecessor. There is no explanation as to why Michkov got zero 3×3 time in OT, especially since he had 3 game winning OT goals last year. Just because he had an off game during 5×5 shouldn’t mean he should have been benched for the OT.
Lol every Canucks fan knew Tocchet would ruin young talent like Michkov and Zegras. That’s what Tocchet does. He only likes north south style players
Wow, I guess now is the time for overreaction. This is an 82 game season, Michkov is in his second season with a new coach, everyone needs to relax. This is not football season where every game is so important you cant have a bad game or two. If we get to game 20 and this is still an issue, then there needs to be something done about it. This town has the same issue with any long season teams because it’s an Eagles first town, and people tend to adopt that mentality for the other sports.