“Daniel Brière will be targeted”: What if Matvei Michkov were to make a hostile bid in a year?

Félix Forget
“Daniel Brière will be targeted”: What if Matvei Michkov were to make a hostile bid in a year?
Credit: Richard T Gagnon/Getty Images

Last Friday, the Flyers set off a firestorm by making a hostile offer to Leo Carlsson. They took advantage of the Ducks' precarious situation to offer the young center a golden opportunity… and to put Pat Verbeek in a very difficult position.

The word on the street right now is that it would be surprising if the Ducks didn't match the offer. But in any case, the Flyers have shown that they're not afraid to go for the big win.

Could they set their sights on Adam Fantilli if things don't work out with Carlsson—even though Daniel Brière's son is under contract with the Blue Jackets?

That said, it's safe to assume that Brière's approach (which is entirely legal) won't sit well with everyone across the league. And Elliotte Friedman, on his podcast “32 Thoughts,” acknowledged that this is likely already the case.

He'll be a target for other GMs, according to the insider.

And of course, it makes sense to wonder if this could happen via a hostile bid. We don't expect to see Trevor Zegras (who just revived his career in Philadelphia) or Jamie Drysdale (who is a good friend of Zegras') sign one this summer… but there is one logical candidate who will be eligible next summer.

We're talking about Matvei Michkov, who will be a restricted free agent next summer.

We know that last season wasn't easy for Michkov and the Flyers. He was left out of the playoffs, criticized by his coach for his physical conditioning, and his ice time was often quite limited.

All of this means we don't necessarily expect Michkov to sign a new contract as early as this summer, and if he continues to be unhappy in Philadelphia, the idea of accepting a hostile offer from another team could be tempting a year from now. And if that offer is similar to the one signed by Leo Carlsson, the Flyers will have a difficult decision to make.

It's worth noting that Michkov—barring a worst-case scenario in which he plays fewer than 10 games in 2026–27—will indeed be eligible to sign a hostile offer on July 1 of next year. Things could still change, but he fits the profile of a player who might be tempted to sign one.

And if other general managers want to target Brière, Michkov might be the ideal player to do so… especially if Leo Carlsson ends up taking up $18 million of the team's salary cap.


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