Keith Jones and Daniel Brière welcomed Matvei Michkov with grins as wide as the Cheshire Cat when he stepped off his incoming flight from Russia to John F. Kennedy International Airport.
Everyone knew Michkov was en route to the Philadelphia Flyers. Flying into John F. Kennedy immediately proved a better option than Philadelphia International Airport. Michkov was receptive to fans at the airport, Jones, Brière, and in a brief moment with media before his eventual arrival at the Flyers Training Center in Voorhees, NJ. Additionally, he met a handful of teammates, including Ivan Fedotov, Tyson Foerster, Cam York, Joel Farabee, and Jamie Drysdale, to name a handful. The Flyers’ welcoming committee could not have been more engaged.
After Philadelphia chose Michkov at the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, Brière commented on the bubbly nature of his personality. Michkov hoped to be selected by the Flyers. Now, the smiling, bubbly, positive vibrations are coming full circle. Jones and Brière could not hide how giddy they felt once their top prospect was in hand.
His transition to North America is new and will continue to progress, but Jones and Brière recognized how Michkov noticeably worked at understanding English. They were also blown away by how badly Michkov wanted to get on the ice at the Flyers Training Center despite his long flight from Russia to John F. Kennedy.
Today, Brière and Michkov met with the media. It was the first time Michkov fielded a press conference in North America with Philadelphia since the 2023 NHL Entry Draft in Nashville, TN. Here are the key takeaways from his first scrum with the Flyers’ media:
Learning Under Tortorella
Many are scared about how John Tortorella will use Michkov in his lineup. Brière already made it a point to be transparent; Tortorella is in charge of the lineup, and if he does put Michkov down the lineup or scratch for a game because he is not playing the right way, then he has the power to do that. What scares people is the potential for Michkov to return to SKA St. Petersburg in the KHL. One of the burning points from today is the foundation Michkov has in Philadelphia. If he is going to learn how to play the right way in the NHL, learning from Tortorella could go a long way in his overall playing career.
Communication between the Flyers and Michkov was frequent. Many eyes were on Michkov, and he would receive phone calls and text messages about what he could do to prepare for the NHL while he was with HK Sochi.
“I was on the ice today. I feel better, and will get better and better.” – Matvei Michkov via Slava Kuznetsov; 7/24/2024
With the puck on his stick, Michkov is extraordinarily talented. Learning under Tortorella how to balance his game by enunciating his play without the puck is next. It will enhance the evolution of Michkov in the NHL and Philadelphia.
As of the press conference today, Michkov and Tortorella had not met.
Pressure in the Philadelphia Market
As the top prospect of an organization, a lot of pressure comes with that notoriety. In the Philadelphia market, the noise is loud. Allowing a player like Michkov to become comfortable on the Flyers is paramount. Added pressure, like super-sized expectations or labels such as ‘savior,’ is toxic. Brière never pointed out Michkov as the savior of the franchise.
“We don’t see him [Michkov] as a savior. That’s certainly not what we’re putting on his shoulders. He’s nineteen years old. He’s coming in to learn, expand his game, and obviously we hope the sky’s the limit for him. Certainly, we’re not expecting him to be the savior of this team. We’re building a team that’s going to have many pieces to work together, and we’re hoping that he becomes one of them.” – Daniel Brière; 7/24/2024
Winning is the focus. Brière drafted to win, and Michkov has his sights locked on helping Philadelphia win.
To ease Michkov into his North American transition, Brière relates to Michkov. Brière did not understand much English when he started his playing career, but the Flyers are a welcome environment with a tight locker room and team resources. Nicolas Deslauriers, Garnet Hathaway, and Erik Johnson are two veterans who accepted Michkov under their wing to help with a smooth transition. Eventually, the plan is for Michkov to have his mother and little brother in North America, which will bring a sense of family and comfort to his NHL transition.
Fan Reception
‘Michkov-Mania’ has not taken a break since Brière selected him at the 2023 NHL Entry Draft.
“It’s unreal how the fans react and how welcome I felt coming in. At the same time, the main idea right now is getting ready and show really good hockey for the fans and play the best game I can play.” – Matvei Michkov via Slava Kuznetsov; 7/24/2024
Thankful for the fans, Michkov looks forward to playing at the Wells Fargo Center. A season ago, that arena filled out when Philadelphia knocked on the doorstep of a possible Stanley Cup Playoff berth. Next season, the same passion, fuel, and fire will be electric when the Flyers take the ice and Michkov makes his NHL debut.
Realizing an NHL Dream
It was common knowledge that Michkov dreamt of playing in the NHL. SKA St. Petersburg made it possible after releasing him from his KHL contract.
“We started hearing rumblings after the season that there was a possibility of it happening. We talked to his [Michkov] representative and agents to help us understand what was going on. They did most of the work, and it was definitely exciting when we realized there’s a strong possibility that it could happen. It was definitely a long wait. When we drafted him last year, we never thought this would happen. Part of the reason he fell to us [the Flyers], because he would have gone a lot earlier; we knew that. We felt we were in a position to be able to wait the three years for him to come.” – Daniel Brière; 7/24/2024
No one expected Michkov to arrive earlier than the original indication of his KHL contract with SKA St. Petersburg.
The realization of the NHL dream has not set in for Michkov. He is soaking it in and knows how proud his father would be. The story is just beginning, and Michkov hopes it will finish with a Stanley Cup.
