RW Matvei Michkov (2023, 7th, PHI) Part 6

[BillDineen]

Turnovers are fine. They are mistakes and part of learning. This wasn't a turnover. This was a lazy flyby.

I feel there is a drastic difference between the two.

It wasn't at all. Michkov thought Couturier would get the puck and send him on a breakaway ... for his team with no goals in two games, generating offense. Perfectly reasonable

 

[Just Linda]

Question: do you think Jack Hughes would be the player that he is today if NJ had benched him for every turnover in his rookie year?

No. Neither one got benched for every turnover.

Do I think Hughes would've developed without the level of accountability the the USDP instilled in him and then the work done by his NHL coaches to turn him into a great player? No, I don't. Especially since so much of his play is built on disrupting transitions.

It wasn't at all. Michkov thought Couturier would get the puck and send him on a breakaway ... for his team with no goals in two games, generating offense. Perfectly reasonable

You still gotta support the breakout.

Michkov cheats. That's not news to anyone, it's not a rare thing for a teenage with his skill to do. He cheats quite a bit, it's a common criticism of his game.

It's not concerning since he's still so young and will develop into a better player still but let's not try to downplay a flaw in his game (especially since noone seems to be catastrophizing it either)

 

[Kshahdoo]

There’s a middle ground between what Michkov was doing and playing defense. Michkov literally skated away from the play and bailed on his team before they had any chance of gaining control of the puck. Michkov wasn’t making an offensive-minded play, there. He was making a stupid play.

I’m not a Torterella fan, but if you’re going to say Michkov hockey is smarter than the NHL coach who’s been in the league for two decades and won. . . I don’t know that the discussion is worth having.

If Richard went to Holmstrom and Seeler to Cizikas, then Holmstrom would have had just two options: to try to stickhandle around Richard with a chance to lose the puck and get 2 vs 1 breakaway or to pass to the defenseman. And the latter wasn't even in the zone so passing to him would have been equal to killing the attack. That's what high IQ plays mean. Alas, other Flyers aren't that smart...

 

[PenguinSuitedUp]

If Richard went to Holmstrom and Seeler to Cizikas, then Holmstrom would have had just two options: to try to stickhandle around Richard with a chance to lose the puck and get 2 vs 1 breakaway or to pass to the defenseman. And the latter wasn't even in the zone so passing to him would have been equal to killing the attack. That's what high IQ plays mean. Alas, other Flyers aren't that smart...

So now you’re asking the Flyers to play defense as a 4 v 5 so that Michkov can do whatever he wants, ie play irresponsibly. Teams play systems, and every player needs to buy in, otherwise the goal that happened because of Michkov will reoccur over and over again.

 

[Kshahdoo]

So now you’re asking the Flyers to play defense as a 4 v 5 so that Michkov can do whatever he wants, ie play irresponsibly. Teams play systems, and every player needs to buy in, otherwise the goal that happened because of Michkov will reoccur over and over again.

It was 4 vs 4 because one defenseman was in the neutral zone to cover Michkov...

 

[BillDineen]

No. Neither one got benched for every turnover.

Do I think Hughes would've developed without the level of accountability the the USDP instilled in him and then the work done by his NHL coaches to turn him into a great player? No, I don't. Especially since so much of his play is built on disrupting transitions.


You still gotta support the breakout.

Michkov cheats. That's not news to anyone, it's not a rare thing for a teenage with his skill to do. He cheats quite a bit, it's a common criticism of his game.

It's not concerning since he's still so young and will develop into a better player still but let's not try to downplay a flaw in his game (especially since noone seems to be catastrophizing it either)

He does cheat too much, but this was the right time. TK would have done the exact same thing. It was the right choice with the team not scoring.

 

[Artaud]

He does cheat too much, but this was the right time. TK would have done the exact same thing. It was the right choice with the team not scoring.

Even if it was the right choice (very debatable) it cost them a goal. At some point results overcome process.

This is all beyond the point. The point is that Michkov is stubborn and refuses to buy into the team concepts. Putting the team above the individual is not a Tortorella thing either, it's the foundation of a winning culture.

There was always echoes of Michkov being a shitty teammate. Him stepping on other players bags, lack of defensive commitment, stuff like that, often brushed aside as a product of his competitive spirit. Halfway through his first season, his selfish attitude has already caused problems. I think being a competitor is about doing anything to win and this play is the opposite of that.

 

[Kshahdoo]

Even if it was the right choice (very debatable) it cost them a goal. At some point results overcome process.

This is all beyond the point. The point is that Michkov is stubborn and refuses to buy into the team concepts. Putting the team above the individual is not a Tortorella thing either, it's the foundation of a winning culture.

There was always echoes of Michkov being a shitty teammate. Him stepping on other players bags, lack of defensive commitment, stuff like that, often brushed aside as a product of his competitive spirit. Halfway through his first season, his selfish attitude has already caused problems. I think being a competitor is about doing anything to win and this play is the opposite of that.

It's exactly how they destroy prospects' development. "He must play system. He must do it right. He must follow rules". And then boom, you get another average NHLer instead of potential superstar. Average at best. Michkov should play Michkov's hockey not that Torts' shit. It's how he's become Michkov after all.

 

[Artaud]

It's exactly how they destroy prospects' development. "He must play system. He must do it right. He must follow rules". And then boom, you get another average NHLer instead of potential superstar. Average at best. Michkov should play Michkov's hockey not that Torts' shit. It's how he's become Michkov after all.

So Michkov became Michkov by cheating on his defensive assignments. He did not pull off some creative out-of-the-box strategy that only his superior hockey mind could think of. Fat dudes in my beer league do this all the time because they just want an easy breakaway.

Stop putting him on a pedestal. You don't win in the NHL by putting individual players above the team concept, especially not rookies. Michkov has won nothing and proven very little in the show. He's not Ovechkin and learning/accepting to play within an NHL structure is something he will have to do eventually if he wants to win.

Though I agree Torts is a certified hard-ass and surely not the guy to tame a hotheaded young gun like Michkov.

 

[Zine]

So Michkov became Michkov by cheating on his defensive assignments. He did not pull off some creative out-of-the-box strategy that only his superior hockey mind could think of. Fat dudes in my beer league do this all the time because they just want an easy breakaway.

Stop putting him on a pedestal. You don't win in the NHL by putting individual players above the team concept, especially not rookies. Michkov has won nothing and proven very little in the show. He's not Ovechkin and learning/accepting to play within an NHL structure is something he will have to do eventually if he wants to win.

Though I agree Torts is a certified hard-ass and surely not the guy to tame a hotheaded young gun like Michkov.

Using this reasoning, Bedard is a selfish bad teammate and will never be a winner either.

 

[yianik]

So Michkov became Michkov by cheating on his defensive assignments. He did not pull off some creative out-of-the-box strategy that only his superior hockey mind could think of. Fat dudes in my beer league do this all the time because they just want an easy breakaway.

Stop putting him on a pedestal. You don't win in the NHL by putting individual players above the team concept, especially not rookies. Michkov has won nothing and proven very little in the show. He's not Ovechkin and learning/accepting to play within an NHL structure is something he will have to do eventually if he wants to win.

Though I agree Torts is a certified hard-ass and surely not the guy to tame a hotheaded young gun like Michkov.

If Michkov is a hothead then Torts is exactly who you need. Otherwise you have a players coach and Michkov will just do whatever he wants.

He's a terrific talent playing his 1st year in the NHL. No need to panic.

 

[sbhnur]

I see a great line coming with mm and Kuzmenko averaging 8 minutes per night!

Topic related: the style torts plays doesnt help skilled players, it's a system for low skilled and grinders. It creates zero offense and offensive zone time. It will make us a contender in about 55 years.
MM suffers especially bc he is an offensive minded players with great instinct. It's not what torts likes. He likes doing guys doing whatever he says, minimizing all risks a hockey game can evolve.

 

[Zine]

If Michkov is a hothead then Torts is exactly who you need. Otherwise you have a players coach and Michkov will just do whatever he wants.

He's a terrific talent playing his 1st year in the NHL. No need to panic.

Just like Chicago/Bedard, the Flyers have the luxury of developing Michkov slowly. They should be fostering his innate talent, while shoring up his deficiencies step by step.
The Flyers will probably scew up Michkov’s development.

Tortorella is a horrible coach for a young rebuilding team, let alone any team with significant offensive talent.