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Tocchet is making Torts look good by comparison and this is with Torts quitting on his own team.
Well, the previous coach and current GM carried his stuff through the airport, so there’s that.
The Flyers drama is of their own making. Let’s see if they can handle it with a bit of professionalism this time.
https://975thefanatic.com/2024/01/09/flyers-united-in-their-dismissiveness-towards-cutter-gauthier/
They started off unprofessionally with the coordinated media blitz on Cutter Gauthier from Hilferty to Jones/DB to Torts to Sanheim. The attacks by every level of the front office on one of their draft picks which happened to be the highest they’ve drafted in years is unprecedented to this day.
This year, Kurz and Bissonette carrying Tocchet’s water just takes it to another level. I don’t think Tocchet is capable of going 48 hours without him or Kurz mentioning that Michkov is unredeemably out of shape.
In looking at the situation, let’s begin with things that can be equally true. Matvei Michkov did not come into the season prepared to match his rookie year levels. Rick Tocchet is right to be frustrated, but were airing those concerns in public the best pathway forward?
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However, when given some proverbial “rope” with a new coach (and no skating test to worry about), Michkov came to camp unprepared. The organization pointing to a lack of training due to an off-season injury. However, subsequent indications are that Michkov’s off-season regimen was off-track even before that. Regardless of the injury, Michkov showed a lack of maturity, both on- and off-ice.Michkov has lacked attention to deal in Year Two. For one, he’s taken far too many careless penalties. For another, he’s made some shockingly low-percentage decisions on when to exit the defensive zone, when to make a play near the attacking blueline, and where he’s supposed to go when supporting the play.
Regardless of pre-camp injury, Michkov did not come adequately prepared. While portions of the fan base solely blame head coach Rick Tocchet or on Michkov’s linemates, the player properly assigned the blame to himself.
Too a certain extant this is all bullcrap. He was training strength in the offseason and when he went to do his on ice conditioning he had the ankle injury and was unable to skate. Should he have contacted the Flyers and worked with them regarding the ankle injury? Probably, but this is also a dysfunctional front office who was just forced to fire it’s last coach for abusing and giving up the team. Despite either one of those being enough to fire and blackball a coach for life DB still backed him publicly. Not enough can be said about Torts excesses in the last half of last season but since it’s embarrassing to the franchise and not the player you never hear it brought up by the beats on the payroll.
He is far from the first player to come into camp out of shape including former stars like Phil Kessel and Dustin Byfuglin. It was also not his intent to be out of shape
I can tell you unequivocally that his franchise was immature last year with Torts handling of the players and the front office handling of Torts. It was immature this year with pretty much everything Tocchet related including the constant internal leaks by someone (Tocchet) to Kurz even when it isn’t in the best interest of anything but his ego. What was the purpose of once again smearing Michkov’s fitness after the press conference to put out the fire after the Caps game to the point of saying there is no way to for Michkov to get in shape this season? Criminal and inaccurate.
This whole narrative that if you start out behind in your conditioning you can never catch up should be called out by the beats long ago. Players do it all the time. Players get injured and can’t skate for weeks or months and then go on a conditioning stint in the AHL in some cases and then ramp up during the season. Big Byf and Phil Kessel are obvious examples but the whole can’t catch up lie stares you right in the face every day.
Matthew Tkachuk just returned from major surgery 2 weeks ago for the first time all season and played 20 minutes and has averaged 18 min since. He didn’t start skating until November, 2 months after the season started. His legs didn’t fall off, he wasn’t played out of position on the 3rd line. Barkov is returning next. My guess is the coach won’t go out of his way to play him out of position or give him minimal minutes. If it was such a concern the could’ve sat him games so he could work on his conditioning, yet they played him while complaining about him.
Bill is just as complicit as the rest of the beats with this.
Did Michkov arrive at camp without skating for the previous couple of months? Yes. Did he train off the ice? Also yes. Did the Flyers think he trained effectively? No. Did Tocch lose his mind? Yes.
Between Kevin Kurz, Tocchet, DB, Jonesy, and Michkov there is only one adult and that is Michkov in the way this has been handled. The kid accepted responsibility, took blame, and never said a bad word about his usage or ice time. Tocch has had no issues irrationally using Michkov, who has been one of their best forwards in underlying metrics all year, in a limited checking line role. Did he start out needing to get his skating legs, sure. Apparently that doesn’t need to end your season according to last year’s Stanley Cup winner but they don’t have the Flyers “culture”.
Tocch has been one of the worst situational coaches and his mishandling of Russian players in the past :
Past Handling: Vancouver Canucks (2023-2024)
Andrei Kuzmenko: After a 39-goal season, Kuzmenko’s production dropped significantly under Tocchet, leading to him being sat in key moments and eventually traded. Reports indicated a clash over defensive responsibility and consistency.
Other Players: Discussions regarding his time in Vancouver often cite a, “cleaning house” of certain Russian players, including Nikita Zadorov and Vasily Podkolzin, leading to perceptions that he has a difficult relationship with players from that region.Tocchet should have his own thread. If he didn’t have his “friends” in the media and comcast covering for him this would be a much bigger story but Hockey front offices are like high school and he’s friends will all the right people. I thought Torts was rock bottom but the Flyers keep finding ways to keep digging.
That Ottawa game was probably the worst played in the entire NHL this season but not a criticism to be heard about Tocchet. I wonder why is that?
Not that anyone is going to read this … The team has faded into irrelevance and they expect players to want to come here for something other than being the highest bidder by a significant amount (ala Hayes)? Lol.
I thought the game was so bad and boring that Bill went to sleep and wiped it from his memory. It was bad boring hockey by the Flyers and we are all worse off for having watched it. People who went to the game should have their money refunded.
Despite another hatchet job by Kevin Kurz after the Caps game, i thought Michkov was one of the better Flyers players on the ice with other players not being held to the same strict standard that he has been held to. Whoever (Tocchet) inspired Kurz to write that article needs to be fired.
Friedman called the Flyers out for the Michkov Saga, DB went to bat for his hand picked coach, hand picked coach FINALLY told Michkov he could stay on the ice longer, Michkov looked good, Flyers won. The heat was dying down. Then Kurz publishes his article saying that many in the building think Michkov is basically a lost cause for this year. WTF? Only an idiot would protect Tocchet even though every advanced metric says Tocchet is wrong.
The icing on cake against the Sens were 2 things :
1. Juulsen whose only defining hockey trait is being tall was to important to let the smaller but much more talented Andrae play in the Sen was responsible for what was, up until the last 2 minutes, the only goal in the game.
2. Michkov, who still leads the team in OT goals over the last 2 years, once again not seeing OT ice because …. Tocchet. The Flyers never even made it to the first line change with Tocch’s boys making all the mistakes he keeps saying he’s afraid Michkov will make.2 goals in 18 OT games and counting. The Flyers are so so bad but apparently the extra 45 seconds of ice time in OT would break Michkov.
DB has been forced to take deserved heat for Tocchet despite only being 6 months into his 1st year. It’s going to be a loooong contract for DB to answer for as this goes on.
Plain and simple, the Flyers are the same thing they’ve been for roughly a decade now… directionless. The plan has been business as usual, and the organization has regressed, and to think otherwise is to completely ignore the results over the past 10 years.
Jonesy came out and said the entire plan hinged on them being able to buy elite talent on the UFA market starting this year, which really wasn’t a plan at all. It’s crazy how many people refused to believe their eyes. Tocch’s going to bring in those big name UFAs who want to play only for him. ROFL.
Let’s stop calling it a rebuild because that was never the plan, it was just branding. It’s vaporware.
The only realistic way they get a “top six” C, let alone a #1 center is to trade for one. Im hoping they can identify a team that lacks wing depth and maybe find a need for need trade. Tippett for Wright has been mentioned. Robert Thomas has been mentioned but I think the Flyers would really have to pay an uncomfortable price for the Blues (and Thomas) to consider it. I’m talking Michkov or Martone. (plus that NTC, cap hit and term)
I wonder if something like Tippett and Toronto’s 1st gets you Wright and a pick or prospect from Seattle? Maybe Julius Miettinen? Is Jake O’Brien (instead of Wright) available? These are the kinds of deals Briere is “hopefully” pursuing.
Who knows, maybe they keep falling and get a realistic chance to draft someone like Tynan Lawrence or Caleb Malhotra.
I think i read from one of the beats that the Flyers have no interest in Wright?
Either way they have a log jam in center. Assuming they resign Zegras and plan to use him as a center, he will get a NMC because Flyers. That leaves you with 3 C with NMC for the next 3 years (Dvorak, Coots, Zegras). That doesn’t include Cates who is on a 4 year extension. What do you do with the existing centers, most of which are unmovable? The Flyers already have too many middle six wingers for next year. Unless Wright ends up being a #1 center you are worse off than before with 5 centers who aren’t the answer and no place to put another if you can find one.
I don’t know. The Flyers roster construction is batshit crazy and DB wants to lock everybody up to keep the crazy train rolling.
the state of the team is the same since wharton certificate boy took over, and even before.
They are not a good team. They have no plan to become a good team. They have no path towards cup contention.
As far as Thomas, he will not waive to come to Philly. There will be many suitors for his services. He would have zero reason to come to philly.
Anyone who has faith in wharton boy or “jonesy” needs their head examined. Fact is its very bleak. nothing has changed
crazy thing is they are still very much in the playoff race. couple games out.
Blame Bettman and the OT point rules. It is hard to be out of the playoff race at this point in the year unless you are committed to the tank.
I still can’t believe they’ve only scored 2 goals in 18 OT periods. That may be a record and yesterday’s OT was incredibly bad. Maybe they should try something different, like Michkov.Again with size over skill.
The Flyers are noticeably small on the ice. Not everybody, but their smaller guys are noticeably small and don’t have elite skills. If they did, they would be playing.
The Kings got Panarin for a prospect + a conditional third and signed him for $11M for two years.
Panarin would only waive for the Kings. It was the only place he was willing to be traded to and gave them a sweetheart extension deal. The Flyers were never in.
I understand the thinking but Frank is correct, Panarin wanted to go to the playoffs and picked his team while giving them a sweetheart deal to make it work. He held all the cards with a full NMC. GMs are to quick to give them out knowing that most likely that some other GM will have to deal with the downside. Same with Coots. Flyers can’t do anything but cut his ice time, they can’t do anything without his permission.
For 58 minutes, the story wrote itself.
Nick Cousins, former Flyers draft pick and Stanley Cup winner beats Vladar on a defensive mixup involving Juulsen for the game winning goal. Will Juulsen be to valuable to the PK, with 6 SECONDS IN LAST 4 GAMES, to sit after the olympic break? Tocchet says he’d like to get Andrae some time after sitting for over a month but the PK is to important.
While they tied it up with the goalie pulled the Sens quickly ended the game once overtime started. Once again the Flyers skaters were vastly outplayed and only Vladar kept them in it.
I hope to hell Danny sells at the TDL but he won’t because he’s still looking towards making the playoffs next season rather than rebuilding. Same goal as this season.
Andrae sitting again for Juulsen is another dumb decision. Allegedly because Toc doesn’t want to mess with the PK. Juulsen combined for a TOTAL of 6 seconds of PK time the last 3 games.
Again with size over skill.
On the opening goal last game Michkov was on the ice with Zegras and Tippet when he made that ridiculous pass to help setup the goal but he will again be starting on the 3rd line.
Despite all of Tocchet (and Briere’s) hand wringing:
Key 2025-26 metrics for Michkov include:
Offensive Impact: When on the ice, Michkov has helped the Flyers maintain a strong expected goals percentage of 53.38%.
Advanced Metrics: He has ranked in the 85th percentile for on-ice expected goals (2.84 per 60 mins) and 83rd percentile for goals for (2.98 per 60 mins).
Production: After a record-breaking rookie season where he led all NHL rookies with 26 goals, he remains a focal point of the Flyers’ offense.
Despite a challenging start to the 2025-26 season, including lower ice time (14:34 TOI/G) and fewer points early on, Michkov is consistently identified as the team’s top driver of high-quality scoring opportunitiesScrew Tocchet and DB. When he’s on the ice he’s frequently the best player for the Flyers even with his “conditioning”. If his conditioning was really such an issue that he was a liability, his metrics would show it. His metrics show a criminally underused forward being held back by a 61 year old coach’s preconceptions. He is helping keep the Flyers afloat despite his coach.
Same goes for his treatment of Andrae. Not Juulsen’s BIG, nothing else matters.
Briere said the team overachieved up until January 6 and underachieved since then. He believes the reality is somewhere in between.
The reality is closer to the .600 team before January 6. They have to move away from Errson and his league worst save percentage. At least this year, it’s one awful goalie instead of three. They need another guy there. They also need another top 4 Dman.
Vladar : .939 in October, followed by .894 in November, .905 in December, and .876 in January.
Which of those months is not like the others? His season hasn’t been as great as it seems in the moment. The Flyers went 6-9 in Dec, well below .600 the month before January. The Flyers were boosted by early season wins and OT Loser points and a crappy division where most of that time the difference between first and last was about 10-12 points. They were “underachieving” well before 1/6/26 it just took awhile for momentum to catch up to them. The Flyers aren’t a team that looks to fix things that anyone can see are broken when they are winning which is one of the reasons why things snowball.
Vlad had a .929 last night, well above his season average of .904, and needed every save. He will need to continue to do this for the next 4 months for the Flyers to have a chance.
Adding players? If you are talking about possibly making a run at being a playoff bubble team, maybe, but as far as becoming a real contender they aren’t any closer than they were 3+ years ago. Could the bar be set any lower?
https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/7019567/2026/02/03/matvei-michkov-tocchet-flyers-briere/
Multiple team sources have indicated that now, even months after his slow training-camp start, the Flyers believe Michkov still may not be able to do the things he needs to do from a physical standpoint — on a regular enough basis — to earn a larger role. Whereas last season he was routinely able to absorb hits along the wall or in scrums in the corner, and emerge from those scrums with the puck, for example, the thought is that he now struggles with that because his strength is lower than it should be.
@#$@#$@#$@#$@#$@#$@#$@#$@#$@#$@#$@#$
Michkov get’s his minutes. Looks good. Spectacular pass leading to a goal. Flyers win.
The Flyers .. should .. take .. the win.
But no, another Michkov hit piece and Tocchet just wants the best for him from Kevin Kurz following DB’s talking points from the press conference.
WHY? Caps on a back to back with a 3rd string goalie.
and still outplayed the Flyers. Vladar made several 10 bell saves and, if i recall correctly, the caps missed an open net.
The Flyers are most likely going to end up outside of the playoffs and outside the top 5 picks but this should help that comcast gate revenue.
DB looked absolutely thrilled to have to give a pregame press conference defending his coach. The win bought them some more time. I was kind of hoping for OT there in the 3rd.
