Michkov's 1st NHL goals breed excitement for Flyers

EDMONTON -- Matvei Michkov was the only person at Rogers Place to see the puck cross the goal line. He proceeded to celebrate his first NHL goal among the uncertainty of his teammates.

The 19-year-old Philadelphia Flyers forward collected the puck off the end boards and stuffed it in at the near post past Edmonton Oilers goalie Stuart Skinner at 4:46 of the first period. It took a video review to confirm the power-play goal and then another following a coach's challenge for goalie interference to have it stand.

"You could see how excited he was and it's infectious," Flyers forward Garnet Hathaway said following a 4-3 overtime loss Tuesday. "You love it, and he brings it every day. I would have loved to get the win for him and make that night a little more special. He's got a little more confidence, and I think that's what's going to help him build his game."

Michkov's arrival in the NHL has generated enormous excitement in Philadelphia. Expectations are high for the native of Perm, Russia, who was selected by the Flyers with the No. 7 pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.

Considered as a possible alternative to Connor Bedard as the No. 1 pick that year, Michkov dropped to the Flyers given the uncertainty of when he would be available to play in the NHL. The talented forward was under contract in the Kontinental Hockey League through the 2025-26 season and it was believed he would not come to the NHL until it expired, if at all.

True to its name, Philadelphia decided to take a flyer on Michkov and it paid off. He had the final two seasons of his KHL contract terminated and signed his entry-level contract with the Flyers on July 1.

"I know, it was taught to me before he even came over here, he was a competitor," coach John Tortorella said. "That doesn't surprise me. I didn't know much about him as far as away from the puck, but he has picked up a number of things that we tried to teach him very early on in the season.

"I just think he's done a really good job as a young kid coming in here with all the things being talked about and all the spotlight on him. He's handled things very well."

The early returns have been positive three games into the season. Michkov added a second power-play goal at 9:21 of the first to give the Flyers a 2-0 lead, one-timing a sharp-angle shot from the bottom of the face-off circle after a pass from Morgan Frost.

"It's exciting, he's been talking about it (scoring)," Frost said. "All he says is, 'I score, I score,' so it's nice to get him one and I think the floodgates will open now. It's nice to get him one, I'm happy for him."

Michkov does not have a firm enough grasp of the English language to conduct a postgame interview on his own, so he was not made available after the game. His teammates, though, were happy to rave about the potential star.

"I think sometimes the language barrier can make it a little humorous," Frost said. "He's a passionate kid and wants to win, wants to score and then you know T.K. [Travis Konecny] if you get T.K. in that environment, I think we're having fun and hopefully, he's having fun being here."

Matvei's enthusiasm has been infectious among his teammates. His arrival has raised expectations for the Flyers, who have not qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs the past four seasons. The contrasting methods he used to score against Edmonton showcased a willingness for him to go into the tough areas of the ice and ability to finish off opportunities.

"He likes to score. He's in the areas," Tortorella said. "I think that's what, as a new guy coming in with a big spotlight on him, I think that's what's drawn his teammates to him. Not the goals tonight, but some of the other things he does too. He's helping our power play, he's a dynamic guy. It's something we've talked about here since I've been here for the past three years is that those are the type of players you need to add to your roster as you go through here to try and be a better team."

Michkov has impressive offensive ability but has also demonstrated an eagerness to do whatever it takes to win. As important as the two goals were against Edmonton, the rookie blocked two shots with the Flyers attempting to protect a 3-2 lead in the third.

"He's a dynamic player, not just his passing but how he can hold on to a puck and get out of traffic," Tortorella said. "I think it goes a long way with his teammates, he's out here blocking shots also and doing all the other stuff that creates that team camaraderie, that team concept. That's really important."

Considered a candidate to win the Calder Trophy given to the League's top rookie this season, Michkov has proven to be a quick study. He works equally hard at both ends of the ice and is cognizant of what needs to be done in his own end of the ice.

Michkov has three points (two goals, one assist) in his first three games. Philadelphia concludes a four-game road trip to start the season at the Seattle Kraken on Thursday (10 p.m. ET; KNH, KING 5, KONG, NBCSP) and plays the Vancouver Canucks in its home opener Saturday.

"His skill is what is going to lead him, plus his compete," Hathaway said. "It's nice to see him rewarded, but I think he's been getting a lot of chances and that's something that you kind of fall back on and say, 'Where's the detail in your game? Is it there, are you creating and are you responsible in your own zone?' And I think he's checking all those boxes."