Philadelphia Flyers
‘Enough is Enough’: Rick Tocchet Frustrated With Michkov Questions
Philadelphia Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet has had it with the Flyers media and questions about Matvei Michkov.
Tocchet held his typical media availability following Monday’s morning skate, ahead of the team’s matchup with the Vancouver Canucks. As usual, several questions about Michkov were asked of the bench boss.
After a few more questions than usual, Tocchet sounded off.
“We’re 17-10, we have a good record. I’ve answered six Michkov questions [this morning]. I mean, enough is enough,” said Tocchet.
Matvei Michkov is a “lightning rod” around this team. The 2023 7th-overall draft selection is set to be the future of hockey in Philadelphia. Interest in the player is high. The expectation is that plenty of questions will be asked about the team’s star.
However, Tocchet is clearly growing frustrated with the number of questions surrounding the 21-year-old star. Especially when there are other players having a great season. “We’ve got [Dan Vladar] having a great year. [Jamie Drysdale] is playing really good five-on-five for us. [Cam York] is doing a really good job. We’ve got a lot of players doing good in a team game.”
Tocchet is not wrong in the sense that there have been a lot of Michkov questions asked this season. The potential future face of the franchise has been a storyline this season. He comes into camp a bit behind in his conditioning after a summer injury. Michkov is not producing at the same clip that he was last season. Even his ice time has taken a dip.
Tocchet has been asked a lot about the young winger this season.
On Monday, it began with Tocchet being asked about an exchange on the bench before the Flyers’ first power play on Saturday vs. the Rangers. Tocchet simply explained that it was not an argument. Rather, it was coaching on when to switch on during the power-play chance. Tocchet said, “He was just getting frustrated on when to switch and when he shouldn’t switch.”
The Flyers’ head coach would later say that sometimes he comes off early because of fatigue. “He’s getting enough shifts. [Sometimes] he’s coming off short because sometimes he’s tired. I don’t know what the big deal of that is.”
Tocchet concluded Monday’s Michkov talk by saying, “He’s got to learn to play the game, and he’s trying. He’s a lot better defensively, he’s a lot better playing a team game, and that’s how you win hockey. It’s not about catering to one person. I hate to tell you guys, that’s it.”
Michkov, Tocchet, and the Flyers take on the coach’s former team, the Vancouver Canucks, on Monday at 7:30 p.m. EST.
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You’re not 17-10, you’re 17-17. I count the OT losses as LOSSES, and your supposed prize offensive talent has 0 goals in his last 10 games. Enough is enough with the “Flyers Hockey” mindset that harps on defense, grit, mucking and grinding, and let him play his game. I remember him being fun to watch last year. It’s ironic that the coach who supposedly everyone hated and was fired last season is the coach under whom Michkov scored 60+ points.
Absolutely spot on. Very well-stated. This looks like an “implosion”. I don’t come to see Tocchet ruining our potential star and with these exorbitant ticket prices, I want to see development of our young players. Do you really think Coots, Cates, Dvorak (and Abols) are going to lead us to “the promised land”? TK tries hard but is a mistake machine. Love Coots, but his piss poor effort on the Tage Thompson goal after “subtlety” calling out MM for playing the “right way”… ‘nuf said.
Maybe you count them as losses, but the league awards a point for them. Right now the Flyers are in a playoff spot. It’s time for this squad to visit the postseason.
Yep, the League awards a point and you have basically the entire League crowded into an ever-expanding middle. Many teams will be within a couple points and miss the playoffs. I know, that’s what the League wants – parity. With one of the tie-breakers regulation wins, the Flyers hurt themselves every time they have to go to the ridiculous 3-on-3 overtime or shootout.
Larry Brooks (RIP) would press him on this cop out…
Everyone on this team should be held to a standard with the exception of Michkov. He should just float around the red line in the neutral zone when his team is defending. It will be good for the rest of the team anyway to work on the penalty kill. Screw the fact that that he came to camp out of shape because he was busy getting extorted in Dubai instead of sticking around Vorhees and working on his skating, strength, conditioning, and other elements off the ice to acclimate to playing hockey in North America. I mean he is Matvei Michkov. Seams like a great plan for team chemistry.