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“Matveï Michkov is not our savior” – John Tortorella

 David Miller
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“Matveï Michkov is not our savior” – John Tortorella
Credit: Capture d'écran / Screenshot

Everything seems to be going well for Matveï Michkov with the Flyers in Philadelphia. The rookie had a very good training camp with seven points, including three goals, in just four games. Michkov is acclimatizing well to North American life and is even earning praise from his coach John Tortorella!

This was the subject of a conversation between Éric Hoziel and Greg Lanctot on BPM sport earlier today. It may come as a surprise, given Tortorella’s reputation as a tough, demanding coach, while Michkov has a reputation for being lazy and spoiled.

However, at the start of the season, the honeymoon between Michkov and his coach still seems to be going well. Tortorella even sought to calm expectations of the rookie by reminding journalists and fans that “Michkov is not a savior, he’s 19 years old.”

So we had every right to wonder about the cohabitation between Torts and the Russian player. In the past, several rookies, particularly offensive players, have had difficulty developing to their full potential under the old hand. Tortorella demands a continuous 200-foot commitment from his players, and if he’s not happy with the effort, he can publicly criticize even his star players.

Well, the coach says he wants to give Michkov room to express himself on the ice, but he reminds us that he’ll be watching the length of his presences and his defensive retreats. Just goes to show, you can hunt for the natural…

On the other hand, it’s refreshing to see the Flyers’ coach display this kind of enthusiasm for his young player, especially when you consider that the team and their general manager, Daniel Brière, have high hopes for Michkov.

The Russian’s arrival in North America just one year after being drafted surprised many, and the Flyers could make many teams, including the Canadiens, regret passing on the man who was ultimately drafted seventh overall.

One wonders whether Flyers management asked their coach to give their rookie a favorable treatment in order to foster his adaptation and development. Or maybe Tortorella feels he has to deliver results this year (which means making the playoffs) and wants to give himself all the tools he needs to go out and win.

In short, it’s going to be an interesting story to follow this season!


Overtime

– Top 10 NHL players.

– Ceremony cancelled due to hurricane.

– A brief but notable stint with the Expos.

– Rain doesn’t scare Snoop!

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