97.5 The Fanatic Flyers Roundup: The Matvei Michkov Healthy Scratch Notebook
Owen Tippett snapped the puck over the glove of Andrei Vasilevskiy to finish off a shootout victory at Amalie Arena on Thursday. The Philadelphia Flyers earned two points on the road against a team not far removed from two Stanley Cups. Why isn’t anyone talking about it?
John Tortorella sat Matvei Michkov as a healthy scratch just 13 games into the Russian phenom’s NHL career. It’s the type of move that anyone following the NHL has come to expect from the polarizing head coach.
What does it mean for Michkov’s future? How does it impact his relationship with Tortorella? What does it mean for the Flyers?
- Saturday 11/2: Boston Bruins 3, Flyers 0
- Tuesday 11/5: Carolina Hurricanes 6, Flyers 4
- Thursday 11/7: Flyers 2, Tampa Bay Lightning 1 (SO)
Matvei Michkov Sits As Healthy Scratch
The Mad Russian stormed out of the gates as a dynamic weapon who justified comparisons to Nikita Kucherov. His skill showed most effectively on the power play, where his creativity immediately improved a unit that has finished dead last in the NHL in three consecutive seasons.
Michkov scored four goals and added five assists in his first eight NHL games. The early scoring surge helped him win NHL Rookie of the Month honors for October, but only one of his points came at 5-on-5.
Tortorella shortened Michkov’s ice time after some defensive lapses and positioning issues away from the puck. The veteran head coach sat him out of shift rotations through considerably long stretches in recent games at 5-on-5.
Michkov averaged 19:15 of time on ice in his first eight games and 14:41 over his next five. He continued on the top power-play unit, but the scoring hit a snag.
He registered only one assist in the five games leading up to the healthy scratch. Correctable mistakes like taking off down the ice too soon from the defensive zone, a few sloppy turnovers, and one noticeably poor defensive play lunging for a loose puck in the neutral zone in Carolina demonstrated an unpolished player.
Then the news arrived before the matchup against the Lightning. The most gifted skater on the Flyers who has sparked a new sense of hope within the fan base didn’t make the lineup in the 14th game of his rookie season.
Why Did The Flyers Scratch A Rookie Phenom?
Whether Flyers fans agree or disagree with Tortorella’s controversial decision to sit Matvei Michkov, the healthy scratch shouldn’t come as a surprise in the big picture of the organization’s plans for Michkov’s development.
Danny Briere spoke before training camp about the likelihood of “fireworks” between the competitively-driven head coach and hopeful star player. Briere also told Kevin Cooney that the unexpected chance for Michkov to come overseas early and play under Tortorella will help the development process to craft an all-around game.
Tortorella more recently spoke about the shortened ice time. He even publicly floated the possibility of Michkov missing games as a learning experience a week ago.
“If we keep on seeing the same mistake (from Michkov), and he just totally is not concentrating on a certain part of the game – and I’ve been very honest with him about that – he’s going to miss some ice (time)… It’s not me screaming at him. It’s telling him this is how it works. If I think other guys are going – and you’re struggling (in) certain situations and it’s repetitive – you’re going to have to sit and watch for a little bit.” -John Tortorella (Oct. 31)
The veteran head coach predictably didn’t elaborate extensive detail in Tampa Bay about the decision to sit Michkov. However, he reiterated the same point about how he believes watching a game from the press box can be a learning experience.
“Just part of the process. I told you guys, with young guys, they can watch games too as far as development. It’s trying to help him.” -John Tortorella
The Most Polarizing Head Coach In The NHL
John Tortorella didn’t surpass 1500 games as an NHL head coach using conventional practices. He’s continued to rack up the healthy scratches to high-profile players since beginning as Flyers head coach in 2022-23.
Sean Couturier most notably took a seat in the press box last spring just over a month after Tortorella named him the captain. Travis Sanheim, Cam York, and Morgan Frost have gotten the same treatment during slumps in the past.
Tyson Foerster and Bobby Brink have already sat this season.
The Flyers have placed enormous trust in Tortorella to set a high standard for performance on and off the ice. They consider his impact on the culture a major part of the organization’s rebuild that can have a lasting impact long after his current contract ends after the 2025-26 season.
Danny Briere and Keith Jones didn’t give Tortorella so much influence without accepting the inevitable healthy scratch to Matvei Michkov or any other notable NHL player. Why? They trust their head coach’s impact on the internal development of young players.
Tortorella boldly challenged Cam York by demoting him to the AHL to begin the 2022-23 season. The former first-round pick and NCAA star dealt with the humbling assignment and grew into arguably the best defenseman on the team to finish the 2023-24 season.
Owen Tippett has made major strides as an impactful offensive player partly because of Tortorella’s encouragement of his aggressive style. Foerster benefitted from a similar approach last season.
Tortorella hasn’t experienced the same success with Frost, Brink, or Jamie Drysdale (at least not yet).
The role and effectiveness of the healthy scratch and other drastic coaching measures in that development is possibly the most significant question in the evaluation of Tortorella.
Where Do Tortorella, Michkov Go From Here?
John Tortorella has already praised Michkov’s creative offensive ability since the beginning of the 2024-25 season. The two-time Jack Adams winner respects the incredible competitive spirit he’s noticed since Michkov emigrated from Russia this summer.
He doesn’t shower all players with consistent compliments like he has with Michkov. He’s also publicly noted that he intends to teach Michkov by shortening his ice time rather than punish him (for better or for worse).
However, the quick move to scratch a healthy Matvei Michkov won’t just pass without any consequences. A highly-touted prospect with very little knowledge of life in the NHL and American culture at large who also speaks less than fluent English already faces a difficult experience.
The Flyers hope to develop a star player with the competitive drive to overcome an early challenge in his career on top of his incredible raw talent on the ice.
Consider Tortorella’s decision to bench two of his most accomplished players, Travis Konecny and Kevin Hayes, just six games into his tenure as Flyers head coach in October 2022. The two forwards went in opposite directions.
Konecny has blossomed with career highs across the board in consecutive seasons. Hayes drifted out of the picture in Philadelphia despite a long-term financial commitment.
Whether or not you agree with Tortorella’s decision, it’s now up to Matvei Michkov to accept the organization’s trust in the head coach to make bold lineup decisions and continue his path of development toward becoming an NHL player capable of a better all-around game.
- Saturday 11/9 @ Florida Panthers, 6pm on 97.5 The Fanatic
- Monday 11/11 vs. San Jose Sharks, 7pm on 97.5 The Fanatic
- Thursday 11/14 @ Ottawa Senators, 7pm on 97.5 The Fanatic
- Saturday 11/16 vs. Buffalo Sabres, 7pm on 97.5 The Fanatic
All advanced stats at 5-on-5, courtesy of Natural Stat Trick, unless otherwise noted
