Michkov to be healthy scratched tonight

[LOFIN]

Ownership and mgmt actually believe, rightly or wrongly, that Torts is an integral part of the rebuild because he will instill in their youth the right attitudes.

Michkov has been struggling a bit defensively and at 5-on-5 and has seen his minutes reduced in the past few games, including a couple of stints stapled to the bench. So the scratching is not a complete surprise. Also, Torts has a history of benching guys so they can watch a game or two from a bird’s eye view.

Hopefully Michkov takes this is stride and improves because of it. Will be a test of his attitude and of his relationship with the coach.

I guess "Tortorella is not the guy for a rebuild the way most teams would do it". Because usually you give the kids big opportunities and accept their mistakes as part of the learning process. The team is not competing anyway. New York Rangers did this somewhat the Tortorella way, and Lafreniere is only now breaking out 4 years after his draft. Kakko has not reached his draft expectations at all, but is a solid NHL player now. These two were at first given somewhat the Torts treatment by Quinn, and the opportunity to play up the roster has not really been the same it usually is for top picks.

 

[BuiumSaveUs]

It doesn’t even make much sense, they have the so called shooter Tippett with 2 goals this season and no repercussions. Michkov at the very least brings life to Flyers PP

They’re not benching Michkov for his offensive performance. He’s young and needs to work on the details and habits within in his game. This isn’t a big deal I promise.

 

[Rich Nixon]

Ownership and mgmt actually believe, rightly or wrongly, that Torts is an integral part of the rebuild because he will instill in their youth the right attitudes.

The issue is that this old bullshit isn't really working. Guys like Frost, Tippett, Foerster all look like they've regressed since last season and the year before. Brink had been getting scratched despite being probably the second-best performing forward on the team—and its most efficient scorer—in most of their games (behind Michkov or Konecny, depending on the night).

Roster-wise, the team has awful backup goalies and one less top-4 defenseman but is materially not all that different from the bunch they had last year. But this team is way, way worse because all of the guys that Torts' TUFF LOVE was supposed to "fix" seem to be dejected, confused, and tuning him out.

We'll learn a lot about the length of Torts' Flyers tenure based on how the rest of the team plays tonight, I think.

 

[Ghost of Murph]

Smart move by Torts. Not always a bad thing for a young talented player who is struggling to watch the game from upstairs. No way this move is a punishment of any sort. Torts is trying to help Michkov improve his game and maybe light a little fire under him in the process. I thought it would happen sooner. Torts is playing the long game here,

 

[amnesiac]

Melrose and Torts are both morons...

Torts has overachieved with 2 garbage teams on paper in the past 5 years. Wouldn’t call him a “moron” personally.

 

[surixon]

The issue is that this old bullshit isn't really working. Guys like Frost, Tippett, Foerster all look like they've regressed since last season and the year before. Brink had been getting scratched despite being probably the second-best performing forward on the team—and its most efficient scorer—in most of their games (behind Michkov or Konecny, depending on the night).

Roster-wise, the team has awful backup goalies and one less top-4 defenseman but is materially not all that different from the bunch they had last year. But this team is way, way worse because all of the guys that Torts' TUFF LOVE was supposed to "fix" seem to be dejected, confused, and tuning him out.

We'll learn a lot about the length of Torts' Flyers tenure based on how the rest of the team plays tonight, I think.

The tough love approach doesn't seem to work as well with the new generation of players. I think there is a reason why a good many coaches these days don't employ it.

Torts atleast is willing to apply it to his vets as well so I respect him for that even if I don't think it's that useful a tool these days.

 

[SoundAndFury]

Of course it's Torts so it will be blown out of proportion but it's pretty common for a rookie player to be scratched a for a game to get a message sent across.

It's kinda funny first you make it about Torts, and then you say it will be blown out of proportion. How about acknowledging the fact that this is not about "Torts scratching rookie player" but about "coach scratching Michkov"?

Torts has overachieved with 2 garbage teams on paper in the past 5 years. Wouldn’t call him a “moron” personally.

Which is the only thing he was good for over the last 20 years or so - squeezing teams without talent to overachieve like it mattered to them. The moment he has to make talented teams achieve something he is borderline useless. So no, he is not a moron but the old man has very clear limitations.

 

[Gaylord Q Tinkledink]

Maybe it's more of a break than him not playing well ?

I mean, HF cried because he scratched Couturier who f***ing sucked last year.

 

[Jacob]

Melrose and Torts are both morons...

I think it was Tocchet actually.

 

[Rich Nixon]

Maybe it's more of a break than him not playing well ?

I mean, HF cried because he scratched Couturier who f***ing sucked last year.

The thing is why Couturier sucked. He was actually fantastic for the first half of the season. But Couturier is an over-30 player who missed nearly two calendar years worth of NHL hockey as the result of two major back surgeries.

Rather than managing his minutes, Torts was leaning on him for 20+ minutes a night for the first 3 months of the season to win games. And then the wheels fell off and he got scratched without an explanation. And then the team tanked clean out of a playoff spot that it had been in for 75% of the season.

Similar thing, according to Canucks fans, with how he leaned on the Sedins until they became ineffective. You can look at their first-half/second-half splits from that season and it's pretty clear.

I dunno what to tell people. Torts likes to push buttons, but most of them don't work anymore.

 

[Ghost of Murph]

Maybe it's more of a break than him not playing well ?

I mean, HF cried because he scratched Couturier who f***ing sucked last year.

That's what I'm thinking. Young players, especially high draft picks, put a lot of pressure on themselves because they know a lot is being expected of them. My feeling is that Torts is doing the kid a favor by releasing some of the pressure and allowing Michkov to reset a little bit and see the game from a different point of view. Hockey is a tough sport, especially for a young player. I think people read too much into healthy scratches much of the time.

 

[Bear of Bad News]

I'm going to "Jake Jarmel" the end of the thread title.



Other than that, please behave.

 

[Evergreen]

We'll learn a lot about the length of Torts' Flyers tenure based on how the rest of the team plays tonight, I think.

I don't think so. I think it's much more important how Michkov plays when he returns.

 

[frightenedinmatenum2]

This should not be a big deal, but it is because people have unrealistic expectations about development and top prospects.

 

[Rich Nixon]

I don't think so. I think it's much more important how Michkov plays when he returns.

I consider it a bit of a bellweather. The team knows the significance of Michkov. They absolutely checked the f*** out on Torts last year after he scratched Couturier—they damn near lost out.

So if they look like a completely disinterested, dejected pile of shit tonight, I think that'll be decent evidence he's lost them.

 

[rielledup]

This isn’t a black and white area, there is a lot of gray with the development of young players.

I can understand why Torts is scratching him and it can be very beneficial if handled the correct way.

On one hand, the Flyers are crap and he is their best player so there is the argument to just let him play through it.

On the other hand, he is their best player and you do not want him to develop bad habits playing on a crap team.

He’s had a stretch of bad games. The rookie wall is a real thing. It not the worst thing in the world if Torts came to him and explained it can be helpful for him to watch a game from the press box and take a breather. Not necessarily because he’s playing bad, but just to hit the reset button.

How has been their best player when konecny has 7 goals and 14 points in 13 games?

 

[Artemi Panarin]

Healthy scratched Mich somehow has more points that the #1 pick Slaf

 

[Monsieur Miz]

Didn't it happen to Leo Carlsson? Nobody gave a shit because it wasn't Tortorella doing it.

 

[LTIR]

Not a big deal.

 

[CTHabsfan]

Is McDavid scratched as well ? They have pretty much the same production

Michkov: from the NHL Rookie of the Month to a healthy scratch in a week

Prior to the 2024-25 NHL season:

Connor McDavid: 645 games, 982 points.
Matvei Michkov: 0 games, 0 points.

Yeah, these two guys should be treated exactly the same!

 

[GOilers88]

I really don't think a young rookie prospect sitting for one game is going to destroy his development.

 

[The Hockey Tonk Man]

No issues scratching a rookie that seems to be deadly on the PP and pretty meh 5on5 & in his own zone.

 

[GoBoltz56]

The old "Lecavalier treatment".

 

[Grate n Colorful Oz]

Growing pains

 

[ybnvs]

I really don't think a young rookie prospect sitting for one game is going to destroy his development.

It's not. That's not the point.

The decision-making behind the process is what people are criticizing. The Flyers have many problems this year, Michkov is not it. There are numerous issues with the decisions Torts has made regarding lineup decisions this year, and this is just another braindead moment (or is it a Torts ego moment?).

A "rebuilding" team that ranks 32nd and is in dire need of offense shouldn't be scratching their 19 year old Rookie Of The Month and having Deslaurier or a Tony Dick play over him. Tony Dick was called up and thrust into PP1 in Michkov's absence. Torts said specifically regarding Richard, "I want him to take chances offensively and not worry about making mistakes". Not worry about making mistakes? Then why the hell is Michkov a scratch? I personally just cannot wrap my head around it.

Ersson (starter) is injured and out. Back-up Kolosov left the skate today early, so Flyers will start their #3 and need an EBUG.

Besides great defense and goaltending, the Flyers will also need to score goals. Deslaurier and Richard at the expense of Michkov for scoring goals? Yeah, this is Torts being a f***ing jackass.