Matvei Michkov: the media must stop comparing him to Kirill Kaprizov

Jonathan Di Gregorio
Matvei Michkov: the media must stop comparing him to Kirill Kaprizov
Credit: Screenshot | Twitter TLY

Matvei Michkov is having a difficult second season, even though things are going well for Philadelphia.

The Russian isn't scoring at the same rate as in his rookie campaign. He's currently playing on the Flyers' third line, and as a result, his average ice time has dropped compared to last year.

However, Mishkov's production and utilization have been the subject of much media attention in Philadelphia, to the point where it has become problematic for the team.

Colby Cohen and Jonny Lazarus discussed the situation on The Daily Faceoff podcast, and according to them, the problem is that Flyers fans and the media see the young forward as a savior and a future Kirill Kaprizov.

Not only is it putting a lot of pressure on a young person, it's also unrealistic.

There are parallels to be drawn between the two players who performed well in the KHL before making it to the NHL.

On the other hand, Kaprizov exploded in his second season with 108 points, including 47 goals, in 81 games, and that's something exceptional.

And just because Mishkov doesn't score 100 points in his second season doesn't mean he won't in his third, fourth or fifth… Or maybe he'll never score more than 80 points in a season, but he can still have a great NHL career and contribute to his team's success.

Let's face it, Kaprizov is one of the best, if not the best at his position, and he has plenty of room to be a good player without necessarily being at the same level as the Wild's forward.

In fact, this observation also applies to a certain Ivan Demidov in Montreal.

The problem, however, is that the Flyers are currently fighting for a playoff spot, while the team is having a good season, to the surprise of many.

And while the Pennsylvania club is performing well, the Mishkov situation is taking up a lot of space and has become a distraction for the team.

What's more, it's frustrating for many to see people discussing a single player rather than the team's results.

This is definitely a situation that Daniel Brière and the Flyers would like to resolve before the problem gets any worse.


Overtime

– The Rocket finishes 2025 on a high note.

– Nice goal from Jared Davidson.

– What a shot!

– Oops!

– Victory for the Czechs.

– Kudos to John Cooper.

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