RW Matvei Michkov (2023, 7th, PHI) Part 5

[SaSaShi]

I hope the Flyers suck this year because I want high draft picks. If not one year then I would even choose two years before seeing this team trying to be competitive with this horrendous roster this year.
Konecny wouldn't be a top6 in half of the rosters if you ask me and the rest wouldn't even be top9 in at least 1/3 of NHL rosters.

This franchise needs talent asap. I mean look at the Panthers. Lundell and Luostarinen has mostly played in the third line last year. I promise you they would be better than Flyers first line most of the nights.

No, I want a complete rebuild. New goalies, trade for a high risk- reward D. And change 6-9 out of these forwards in 1-2 years. This won't cut it under any coach. I won't even speak about Torts because this forward lineup has already showed they're pretty shit and those who came here didn't impress in other environments.
I mean Tuomaala isn't the biggest prospect either for an example, but he will be a better top9 and second PP player than the most in this current roster because he can at least skate and shoot. One more year in the AHL for him.

I want to see Michkov, Luchanko, Tuomaala. The rest can take a hike.
Draft a Finnish goalie or three, they will be on a rise again. If possible (not likely) trade for UPL or Dostal.
Draft Reber in the seventh round.
Take a chance and trade Andrae against Topi Niemelä. I'd say that would be medium-risk-low reward against a medium risk- medium reward.

Prospects that won't get drafted which could get signed and contribute in the future? Rautiainen, Nykyri etc.
Just like Dallas smartly signed Hyry, Kiviranta and others before.
Give Turkulainen, Hållander, Söderström, Sampo Ranta, Filip Johansson, Ville Petman (PK, fourth line), Petteri Puhakka, Mäntykivi, perhaps Krannila as well, a tryout next summer.

Team will need a new name....

Philadelphia Finns

 

[Zine]

Last year Bedard was garbage in the defensive zone... so much so he was 8th in TOI for Canadian forwards at the WC (a tourney where winning mattered). But on a rebuilding Chicago he was given nearly 20 minutes/game; and rightfully so. That's how you properly develop players during a rebuild.

Torts should do the same for Michkov. Kids of Bedard/Michkov's level will eventually figure out D-zone responsibilities while they continue developing offensively.

 

[Frank Drebin]

Last year Bedard was garbage in the defensive zone... so much so he was 8th in TOI for Canadian forwards at the WC (a tourney where winning mattered). But on a rebuilding Chicago he was given nearly 20 minutes/game; and rightfully so. That's how you properly develop players during a rebuild.

Torts should do the same for Michkov. Kids of Bedard/Michkov's level will eventually figure out D-zone responsibilities while they continue developing offensively.

I’m not sure
Are you really developing offensively if you’re neglecting the other side of the ice? As an extreme example you wouldn’t want a player that created offence strictly from cherrypicking in the offensive/neutral zone

Being young isn’t supposed to be a free pass to play however you want

 

[bwanajamba]

It is quite natural for teenagers to struggle at ES these days. Scoring may be way up from when McDavid had his point per game rookie season but even so, aside from a few outliers every teenager to enter the league since him has got off to a very slow start, even guys who have since turned into stars. The pace is quicker than ever and time/space are very hard to come by. It takes time to adjust to that.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I'm not a big Torts fan, but can we at least wait for this outrage people are whipping up to come from real action from Torts before we turn this into a big thing? Torts benched him for some shifts in a period. So what? That's normal around the league. Leon Draisaitl was benched like a week or two ago for some shifts.

Please at least wait until Michkov is playing like 10, 11 minutes a game for at least a few game stretch or gets scratched more than a game. Missing a few shifts is standard stuff. He still plays first line minutes and PP1 instantly the second he joined the Flyers. That's pretty good, and doesn't sound that bad. Take a player like Hutson that doesn't get PP1 time for the Habs, even though he's clearly their best offensive defenseman because the coach wants to respect the vet hierarchy or something. Lafreniere as a 1OA didn't get consistent top 6 time until like his fourth season (and still doesn't get PP1 time) in his 5th year. There are plenty of situations like this.

Actually coaching up a player and asking him to learn to be a better all around player and earn his ice time and his role in a team is not something to be mad about, especially when the coach actually delivers in what he's said that he wants to coach Michkov up to be a star and will give him every opportunity to be that. Every opportunity obviously doesn't mean quite literally every opportunity in that Michkov can do anything he wants on the ice with no consequences. If he allowed that, he wouldn't be coaching him.

 

[Fantomas]

Gonna get a multi-point game soon and this thread will do another colourful 180 turn. Too funny.

 

[thebestnic]

I'm not a big Torts fan, but can we at least wait for this outrage people are whipping up to come from real action from Torts before we turn this into a big thing? Torts benched him for some shifts in a period. So what? That's normal around the league. Leon Draisaitl was benched like a week or two ago for some shifts.

Please at least wait until Michkov is playing like 10, 11 minutes a game for at least a few game stretch or gets scratched more than a game. Missing a few shifts is standard stuff. He still plays first line minutes and PP1 instantly the second he joined the Flyers. That's pretty good, and doesn't sound that bad. Take a player like Hutson that doesn't get PP1 time for the Habs, even though he's clearly their best offensive defenseman because the coach wants to respect the vet hierarchy or something. Lafreniere as a 1OA didn't get consistent top 6 time until like his fourth season (and still doesn't get PP1 time) in his 5th year. There are plenty of situations like this.

Actually coaching up a player and asking him to learn to be a better all around player and earn his ice time and his role in a team is not something to be mad about, especially when the coach actually delivers in what he's said that he wants to coach Michkov up to be a star and will give him every opportunity to be that. Every opportunity obviously doesn't mean quite literally every opportunity in that Michkov can do anything he wants on the ice with no consequences. If he allowed that, he wouldn't be coaching him.

It's not Torts fault (or Brière really) that the flyers are build from the wings out and have bad Ds/C's for Michkov to play with. They are still very much in a rebuild...

 

[Kshahdoo]

Flyers need to hire Fedorov while he's available. He's an NHL legend, he's proved he can coach and he worked with young kids very well on CSKA... Oh, and he's Russian and knows something about Soviet/Russian hockey style. Would be the best coach for Michkov and not the worst variant for the team.

 

[Langway]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1854560629106851922

 

[TLEH]

It was bad for Bedard defensively last year. He's been better this year for sure defensively. He's still not a great defensive forward but he's way better. You have to let guys take their lumps.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Analyzing a player after every game and what feels like every shift is insane. Just let the kid play and see where the numbers end up.

Imagine when Demidov comes to the NHL, there will be an entire new thread after each game

 

[kp61c]

Sitting him out won't help, can he be sent down or, better still,loaned out to a khl team?

 

[JIMVINNY]

Sitting him out won't help, can he be sent down or, better still,loaned out to a khl team?

This is crazy. You want to send him to the AHL or loan him back to the KHL because he gets sat for a single game? If he ends up sitting for several games, sure, maybe it makes sense to look at other options. But one healthy scratch?

Rookies get sat for a game of two when they're struggling ALL THE TIME. This is not unique, Tortorella is not doing anything outside the norm. The wringing of hands and gnashing of teeth is amazing.

 

[kp61c]

This is crazy. You want to send him to the AHL or loan him back to the KHL because he gets sat for a single game? If he ends up sitting for several games, sure, maybe it makes sense to look at other options. But one healthy scratch?

Rookies get sat for a game of two when they're struggling ALL THE TIME. This is not unique, Tortorella is not doing anything outside the norm. The wringing of hands and gnashing of teeth.

I was in favour of him staying in the khl for another couple of years. Nothing changed for me here, so no gnashing and wringing. Seems i was right and we will have another Yakupov on our hands after the flyers are done with him.

 

[ViD]

That’s a completely dumb decision, move him down the lineup if you want to punish him, he was still their best PP guy

 

[Jared Dunn]

I was in favour of him staying in the khl for another couple of years. Nothing changed for me here, so no gnashing and wringing. Seems i was right and we will have another Yakupov on our hands after the flyers are done with him.

You're declaring yourself right after 14 NHL games? Did we really think we'd get through a season without this kid ending up in Torts' doghouse at least once?

 

[13to40]

That’s a completely dumb decision, move him down the lineup if you want to punish him, he was still their best PP guy

I disagree.

If it’s been 13 games of telling him the same thing over and over again; benching him for a game is the next step in the process.

It’s all about development. Torts always has demanded more of a full 2way game from his players. The coach’s role is to keep his players intact and on board with the overall team success. If Torts feels that benching Michkov is not only going to benefit the team success long term, but also help a young player properly learn the ropes of what it takes to be a pro; then I don’t at all see a problem with making him sit one game.

Anyone who ever played sports will probably receive the “benching” with the same perspective. Nobody likes getting by benched, but more often than not it lights a fire under your ass for when you’re inserted back into the line up.

 

[CutOnDime97]

Torts is a clown. Not much more to it than that

 

[AD1066]

I don't see the issue (and the tweet above contains some editorialization). The season is a grind for a young player coming from another league. Spending one night resting and refocusing isn't a bad idea.

 

[kp61c]

You're declaring yourself right after 14 NHL games? Did we really think we'd get through a season without this kid ending up in Torts' doghouse at least once?

my stance is well known. nothing to declare here. the flyers is a team made of crappy grinders. don't think making michkov one of them is a good idea. he needs to play a lot and work on his shortcomings in an favourable enviroment. he won't chage his game after being benched. it doesn't work that way. unlees a crappy grinder is what we want from michkov.

 

[Frank Drebin]

Sitting him out won't help, can he be sent down or, better still,loaned out to a khl team?

Just accept the process jfc

 

[Frank Drebin]

my stance is well known. nothing to declare here. the flyers is a team made of crappy grinders. don't think making michkov one of them is a good idea. he needs to play a lot and work on his shortcomings in an favourable enviroment. he won't chage his game after being benched. it doesn't work that way. unlees a crappy grinder is what we want from michkov.

It’s impossible to turn a player like michkov into a grinder

He’s always going to be an insanely talented offensive player but he’s not going to have a positive effect for his team if he doesn’t improve his bad habits

Now not singling you out, because we’re all guilty of it, but we tie too much importance on production when it comes to young players and perceived development

Its not going to be better for him to ingrain bad habits in the khl while racking up points

 

[kp61c]

It’s impossible to turn a player like michkov into a grinder

He’s always going to be an insanely talented offensive player but he’s not going to have a positive effect for his team if he doesn’t improve his bad habits

Now not singling you out, because we’re all guilty of it, but we tie too much importance on production when it comes to young players and perceived development

Its not going to be better for him to ingrain bad habits in the khl while racking up points

You will fail in turning him into a grinder and derail his development as an offensive player.
Bad habits won't be ingrained in the khl.

 

[Frank Drebin]

You will fail in turning him into a grinder and derail his development as an offensive player.
Bad habits won't be ingrained in the khl.

They are and have been ingrained
Torts is trying to correct them
You can’t just continue to let him play how he wants or how he thinks he’s helping the team

 

[TheKrebsCycle]

His play hadn’t been as good lately . That’s a fact . Rookies gonna rook . I think getting a breather / reset isn’t the worst idea . Torts is tough but typically fair . He’ll be pumping in points soon enough ( I’ve been of the opinion from the jump that a 60 ish pt season would be a successful first season , hopefully with two way gains )