Matvei Michkov

John Tortorella has been waiting for Matvei Michkov

There was a video that I saw this morning that sought to break down the game of incoming Flyers wunderkind Matvei Michkov.

Elite Prospects: Matvei Michkov

The video is quite good, and you should watch it to get a more comprehensive understanding of Michkov’s game. On X, the video’s narrator, David St. Louis of Elite Prospects attempted to express what he communicated here and—as can often be true with limited characters—it was ultimately imprecise.

I was critical at the time for that post. It was clarified later, which I remarked upon. But even after the clarification, it was still simply impossible to speak with the same detail and clarity as one can over a 12 minute video.

The basis of the video is talking about Matvei Michkov’s greatest strength. It is an asset that he possesses over pretty much every player I’ve ever seen. That being: his mind. His tactical awareness and his ability to anticipate plays.

He’s such a gifted anticipator that he often becomes a gambler, choosing to double cover his mark in the defensive zone at very extreme times or breakout ahead of the play as the weak side winger even when his team hasn’t secured possession.

David was unsure how Michkov’s current gambling playstyle would interact with the Flyers’ structure. He correctly identified the fact that there would be learning experiences and growing pains as Michkov learns to become a more precise gambler.

I believe that will happen quicker than people think, though. As David remarked upon in the video, Michkov used to force a lot of low percentage plays with the puck in his draft year. He curbed that habit to a significant degree and became a much better manager of the puck in the following season.

Because of his mind and his ambition, Michkov is a rapid learner.

But mainly, I believe that Michkov has less learning to do than people think.

The Flyers have been waiting for Matvei Michkov. Their structures and their systems have been designed with one player in mind: Matvei Michkov.

Don’t take my word for it: John Tortorella said as much.

“We changed to a more transition based style. Because, when you get to the future, you start moving away a couple of years… and the Mad Russian comes over here… and you start bringing in maybe some free agents with some more offensive skill… I want that to fall into place when they come in. I want to stay with this style.”

Matvei Michkov won’t be the first anticipator to play for the 24-25 Flyers. He may not even be the most egregious after a few minor adjustments.

Travis Konecny has become one of the league’s foremost shorthanded and 5v5 scorers because of his ability to anticipate rush opportunities early.

His team is on the penalty kill here, but that doesn’t stop him from going early and before possession is secured. Because Konecny does it? He gets a breakaway and a goal.

Konecny is far from the only player on the team to play on the edge of anticipation and cheating like this. Owen Tippett plays the exact same way.

https://x.com/Flyers_Clips/status/1731124977867362399?t=zvgiWk7NAIRuYl8Ipg4msg&s=19

In the defensive zone, the Flyers play in a box+1 structure that encourages the extra player to double pressure puck carriers often and attempt to force turnovers.

The forced turnovers lead to the weak side wingers flying the zone, which leads to a team that generates rush chances at the rate of Edmonton or New Jersey despite lacking the talent of both sides.

Matvei Michkov is exactly what John Tortorella has been waiting for. Not because he can do what Travis Konecny and Owen Tippett already do, but because he adds to that the ability to do things they can not.

Those two are pattern recognizing players. They’re not hockey geniuses, but they have an ability to anticipate. Michkov’s anticipation is only the start of his brilliance.

As the video illustrates… and unlike his two contemporaries… Matvei Michkov is a master manipulator. Both with and without the puck, he’s always deceiving at least one defender.

Michkov has a unique opportunity to be one of the most impactful offensive players in the NHL. Not entirely because of his own talents.

But because the Flyers have uniquely constructed themselves to allow him to play his game and tolerate some of his excesses, while they absolutely require the abilities that he brings with him along the way.

His patience with the puck. His ability to hold onto pucks and find a better way? Torts has talked several times about finding a player who can do that.

Their ability to score with play established in the offensive zone? Nonexistent.

Therefore, Michkov’s ability to find the slot with regularity with immaculate positioning and perfectly timed routes? Game changer.

This isn’t to say that Michkov doesn’t have real learning to do. He does. He takes these qualities to excess at times.

But the Flyers don’t need to allow Matvei Michkov to play outside of their structure.

Their structure has been waiting for Matvei Michkov.

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