Michkov to be healthy scratched tonight

[tyhee]

For most of the preseason of 2017-2018 Canucks' rookie Brock Boeser was tremendous and had the production to go with it. Then in the last two preseason games he disappeared. He was in the lineup but literally was doing nothing to help his team.

The Canucks made Boeser a healthy scratch for the first two games of the season (from which they earned 3 points in the standings. Then Boeser, agreeing publicly that he'd slacked off, got back into the lineup and over the next 62 games (until injured) had 29 goals and 26 assists while generally also holding his own defensively.

Some will say it was coincidental, but in my opinion it is sometimes correct to sit a young player to deliver a message and keep his game on track. It becomes much harder after a player has several successful offensive seasons while often giving less effort defensively. If a coach wants to change a player's habits in the long term the best time to do it is when the player is young and bad habits haven't been treated as acceptable.

 

[Baksfamous112]

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

Slaf has a higher PPG, is +1 and has almost double Michkov 5v5 production. I’m not sure if this was a troll post or not but knowing your history it might just be.

I don’t understand why people are shitting on Torts. Michkov is 19 & has been horrible at 5v5 for a while. Just because he has all the talent in the world doesn’t mean he’s a finished product right now. He has a lot of room to grow and a long way to go before reaching his ceiling. Seeing s game or two from the press box isn’t going to harm Michkov.

Ya’ll need to grow up. It’s not a life of death situation. They’re professional athletes and NHL coaches. If this hurt Michkov feelings then maybe he choose the wrong career.

 

[Baksfamous112]

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.

What process? Michkov been awful at 5v5. He deserves to sit. FYI, yes Michkov’s game at 5v5 is an issue. Much like every 19 years old rookies. The fact that you can’t even see or admit he’s been struggling lately is pathetic at best.

 

[EXTRAS]

Anyone else getting yakupov vibes?

Kidding...kidding...calm down.

 

[Brookbank]

He wanted to go to Philly.

This will probably be fine but that's just a guess. These things can go off the rails depending on the personalities involved

 

[surixon]

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

I think the difference is that there was a prearranged plan between him and the team with regards to the load management plan they used. He was on-board with it ahead of time and it wasn't used as a means to punish the player.

Now maybe Torts/management and Micknov's camp have a similar agreement in place and this is a preearanged break that was expected. If not and this is being used as a wakeup call then it's different.

 

[ViD]

Anyone else getting yakupov vibes?

Kidding...kidding...calm down.

Celly game isn’t even close

 

[dirtydanglez]

gotta play both ends of the ice with torts.

 

[norrisnick]

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

Meh. Getting a junker up to 100 on the freeway and driving a few miles til the engine explodes and wheels come off doesn't make him a good driver.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

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.

Okay, but most of those players you named suck and aren’t NHL players. Michkov is the most important player in the organization. Making sure he develops right is very important.

It’s not an issue for one game. It’s an issue if it becomes a habit of Torts. He has to realize that you can’t keep going back to this well. You use it once or twice and then you have to accept the results and try to instill your message another way.

If he does that, fair enough. Don’t think it’s an issue for one game. That happens to virtually every rookie, and almost a certainty when you’re dealing with an old school coach.

 

[eojsmada]

Tortorella already signaled that he was going to do this, a couple of days ago, so this is the least surprising move of Torts' career.

 

[Golden_Jet]

Doesn’t hurt to watch the odd game from up high.

 

[Evergreen]

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.

Fair point. I really doubt that will happen though. They’ve been floundering all year even with Michkov and I think scratching a rookie will be received differently in the room than your newly named captain and longest tenured player.

 

[Rich Nixon]

What process? Michkov been awful at 5v5. He deserves to sit. FYI, yes Michkov’s game at 5v5 is an issue. Much like every 19 years old rookies. The fact that you can’t even see or admit he’s been struggling lately is pathetic at best.

The Flyers have scored 19 goals at 5-on-5 this season. They have the second-worst 5-on-5 goal differential in the league. Second-fewest 5-on-5 shots for.

The team is terrible at even strength, because they play in a way that is not conducive to generating even strength offense. They do not establish or maintain offensive zone pressure based on the talent they have and the directives given to them by their coach. Michkov has been one of their better performers. Could he be better? Every single player on the team could be, but they aren't.

I personally think it's fine if they go "it's a long season and we're trying to keep him fresh and give him a break now and then." But setting it up as a "learning" experience re: 5 on 5 play is, to me, a coach pointing a finger at a player for what are really coaching and management issues.

 

[chaser17]

The flyers suck and Torts sucks, not sure why that loser keeps getting jobs in the league.

 

[jetsforever]

Not surprising at all from Torts

 

[Suntouchable13]

You guys got it all wrong. So Torts makes a 19 year old sit for a game, big deal. The kid will regroup, and play well rest of the season. Not the end of the world. It's part of teaching/coaching.

 

[LAkings1990]

You guys got it all wrong. So Torts makes a 19 year old sit for a game, big deal. The kid will regroup, and play well rest of the season. Not the end of the world. It's part of teaching/coaching.

Yeah hopefully Michkov learns quickly. He is so good

 

[amnesiac]

You guys got it all wrong. So Torts makes a 19 year old sit for a game, big deal. The kid will regroup, and play well rest of the season. Not the end of the world. It's part of teaching/coaching.

its what 90% of us are saying too

 

[Zine]

Bedard never had to deal with this crap, and he was total garbage defensively last year.

From Rotenberg to Tortorella. Poor Michkov.

 

[Hint1k]

My condolences to flyers fans.
If I was you tonight I would go to the game with "fire the coach" placard.

 

[Midnight Judges]

That's crazy. I watched him play those two games against the Capitals and he flashed some skills - had 2 assists and a goal to show for it.

 

[Regal]

Seems to be just a regular part of coaching/learning. If he’s scratched for games on end then sure, it starts to get questionable

 

[NikolaTesla]

Seems like he’s a bust, better trade him to detroit

Nah Mtl will gladly take him.

 

[ItWasJustified]

Doesn’t hurt to watch the odd game from up high.

This is probably the reason. Torts have told him what he wants Michkov to look for on the ice and take in. Nothing more with it.