The World Needs To Get Used To Watching A Ton Of Flyers Games Because Matvei Michkov Is Appointment Television
Len Redkoles. Getty Images.Okay so before we talk about what an absolute weapon Matvei Michkov is, we obviously have to talk about the health bombs last week against Tampa and Florida. It's been an exhausting few days to be a Flyers fan with a brain considering every mouth-breathing dipshit in this city is acting like John Tortorella shot the kid by having him watch from the press box for a few games.
Listen. I'm not going to blindly trust every decision that John Tortorella makes. But I need to make something clear to Flyers fans out there who 1) are bigger fans of the Flyers than they are of hockey, and 2) treat every sport like it's the NFL. It's important to realize that Torts scratching Michkov out of the lineup last week isn't even remotely the same scenario as benching your starting QB because he's playing like shit. It wasn't a "punishment", it's not that Michkov is in Torts' "doghouse", and it's not like John Tortorella doesn't know that Michkov is the Flyers' most talented player on offense. It's just that he seemed to be fighting the game 5v5 a bit, still has a lot to learn on the defensive side of the puck, and an 82-game season is long as shit for a kid who just came over from Russia after never playing more than 50 games in a year.
There are guys who Torts will scratch as a punishment and a way to say "you're playing like shit and you better figure it out fast before we send you down to the AHL". Morgan Frost is one of those guys right now. But that wasn't the case with Michkov. This was a chance to just let Michkov hit the reset button, see the game from a different POV in the press box to see if some things click, and then the Flyers just so happened to win in Tampa so he didn't change the lineup for the Florida game. The people acting like benching the kid for 2 games out of 82 is going to stunt his development are the most overdramatic bozos out there. If anything, the 2 nights off gave Matvei Michkov a little extra juice in the tank and a little fire under his ass to do this last night.
Just like all the great ones, Matvei Michkov is able to process the game a few steps ahead of everybody else out on the ice. Especially on the powerplay early on in his career so far. He knows the Sharks' penalty kill is going to have to stretch out to get to Andrae at the point, which is going to leave Konecny with some extra space in the high slot, and he puts the one-touch pass right in the wheelhouse for TK to bury that one in the back of the net. A lot of people would think Michkov had to make a split-second decision there, but he knew he was making that pass a full 2-seconds earlier. Which in Michkov time might as well be an hour.
Now since Michkov missed 2 games, that means he couldn't be happy with just putting up a single point last night. He has missed time to make up for if he's going to win a Calder this year. Scratch Michkov for 2 games, that means you're getting 2 points the next time he touches the ice. This time he anticipates the play perfectly to spring himself for a breakaway to score the first 5v5 goal of his career.
Sure, he may have blown the zone a little early. And that's the type of play that may have factored into him getting scratched in the first place. But this is Michkov seeing the game a few steps ahead. He sees Zamula get the puck along the wall, knows the 5 Sharks on the ice all have their momentum still going towards the goal, takes off for a clear breakaway and makes no mistake with the finish. The reward is more than worth the risk there if the Flyers turn the puck over.
For anyone who thought a 3-0 game would be lights out, you just haven't been around Flyers hockey long enough. They blew that lead and went to overtime for a 3rd straight game. And to make things even more difficult on themselves, they had to start the overtime period on the penalty kill after Michkov got into it with Celebrini at the end of regulation.
If Celebrini had any jam to his game, the two of them fight and Michkov is able to record the first Gordie Howe Hat Trick of his career. But realistically, this is part of Michkov's game that might need some tweaking. He seems to be constantly getting into this stick/shoving battles out there. Which is great because you love to see how competitive he is out there, and this type of thing definitely keeps him engaged out there. But he just needs to learn to pick his spots a little better. End of regulation in a tied game probably isn't the best time to punch Celebrini in the face, that's all.
After a few huge saves from Ersson to start the overtime, and a bunch of Flyers chances to close out the overtime, this game went to a shootout. Who else but the Prince Who Was Promised to get the Flyers on the board first with this silky smooth backhand-forehand.
A goal, an assist, a shootout goal, a few big hits, a couple scuffles. Matvei Michkov was everywhere last night, and that's exactly why I can understand why Flyers fans get upset when he ends up getting scratched out of the lineup. He's a showman out there, and probably the only reason why a lot of folks are watching Flyers games to begin with. There are going to be growing pains along the way, and I'm sure there will be another game or two during the season where he's in the press box. But when 39 is on the ice, it's must-watch.
The Other Guys:
Michkov was the story last night but I can't close out this blog without mentioning a few other studs as well. For starters, Emil Andrae is becoming a huge part of this Flyers' core right in front of our very eyes.
He's another guy who is just everywhere. He makes so many plays with his stick on defense, he has great vision on the breakout, and the kid has the edge work to lead a rush that I'd say is only a tier below guys like Cale Makar and Quinn Hughes right now. He's hasn't just earned himself a spot in this lineup for the rest of the season, but he's making the case to being one of the Flyers' best defensemen right now. He's insane.
Travis Konecny had the first goal of the game, but he could have had a 4-5 goal night with the amount of chances he had the rest of the night. There are obviously a few that he'd want back last night, but he made good on them all with this shootout dagger. TK put a little touch of "tell your mom I said what's up" on this finish. So smooth, so disrespectful.
Sam Ersson was great last night. He's been great all year, but especially in his last few starts. He's so steady, and I can't remember the last goal he let in where you'd think to yourself, "Ersson really needs to have that one". Still plenty of season left, but he might just be #TheGuy.
Last but not least, I fucking love Nick Seeler. He's the perfect psychopath for this team. He's just a good ol' boy who puts his head down and goes to work, but is maniacally intense about it. He'll throw his body in front of every shot, and he's always looking for a chance to put his fist through someone's skull.
I'd love to see him get an 'A' on his jersey at some point this year.