Flyers believe Michkov can return to promising rookie form

VOORHEES, N.J. – A number of inquiries at Tuesday’s press briefing involved Matvei Michkov, the enigmatic Russian forward who was more than a bit of a puzzle last season.
After a strong rookie year in 2024-25, which saw him lead the team with goals (26), Michkov showed up for last season somewhat out of shape, never recovered and struggled to reach the 20-goal mark.
Now, as he enters the final year of his rookie contract, Michkov will be under the magnifying glass, a situation Flyers general manager Briere is well aware of.
“I think we saw him mature as the season went on last year,” said Briere. “You know everybody has a different path. You all wish that guys were like Sidney Crosby – at 16 years old a total pro.
“But the reality is they’re really rare. What I was excited to see was his maturity level increased as the season went on. In the offseason, seeing him here. He’s got a pep in his step, he feels good, looks good. I’m excited about Matvei’s season.”
Briere said he’s satisfied with Michkov’s current physical conditioning level. Michkov even invited a member of the Flyers training staff to watch him work out this summer while he was home in Russia.
Michkov reportedly dropped some significant pounds over the summer.
“That’s kind of what you see in the moment,” Briere said. “He just walks around with a different swagger like he had two years ago. He wants to prove that last year was just a little hiccup.”
The GM referred to Michkov as a “polarizing” player, perhaps meaning he gets more media attention than the average competitor.
“His personality and everything, he’s been a superstar since he was 14, 15 years old,” Briere said. “I think he’s comfortable in the spotlight. That’s just who he is. But definitely things were overblown. You know it goes both ways. They’re probably going to be overblown when it’s good, overblown when it’s bad. I think a lot of it is just his personality.”
And don’t forget, last season wasn’t a complete step back for Michkov. In his much ballyhooed freshman season, he was a minus-18. Last year? Even.
“I don’t think it’s all that bad,” Briere said. “He strikes me as one of those guys that when things are good, and he’s in the spotlight, he’s not afraid of the big moment. I try to see the positive in it. I thought last year was overblown in his case.”