Hockey
A super talent from Russia was lost in the NHL. Can you forget about a great career?
Eight matches without goals and warning signs from Philadelphia. What is happening to Matvey Michkov?
Even last season, Matvey Michkov was called the main NHL talent from Russia, and our guy periodically justified the advances, demonstrating gigantic potential. However, now everything is not working out for him at all as he would like.
Matvey takes to the ice, his assists are noted in the protocols, but the feeling of his play this season is not at all what it was before. Instead of a breakthrough, there was a demonstration of a rather average level. Matvey seems unable to try on the role of a leader, constantly playing with an eye on his partners.
Eight matches without goals and alarming statistics
In the last match of the regular season, Philadelphia confidently defeated Montreal with a score of 4:1, but Michkov continued to have a bad streak. He extended his goalless streak to eight games, limiting himself to one assist. In the second period, Matvey took advantage of a mistake by Canadiens goalie Jacob Fowler behind the net, took possession of the puck and passed to Bobby Brink – an episode that required composure and reading the game rather than flashy individual action.
In 14:06 on the ice, Michkov had one shot on target, three turnovers and a “+1” utility rating. It doesn’t seem like a failure, but it’s also not what is expected from a player of such status and talent. This season, the 21-year-old Russian has 18 points (8+10) in 32 matches with a usefulness of -2. In the segment without goals – “0+4”.
Shortly before the game with Montreal, Philadelphia met with Carolina. Then Michkov also scored an assist and broke the four-match streak without points. In that match (2:3 B) he spent 13 minutes 26 seconds on the ice (1.23 on the power play), made one shot, used two power moves and missed the post-match shootout. And again Matvey did not fail, but played below his level.
A historic achievement – and a strange contrast
Against the background of these problems, another event looks particularly contrasting. In the regular season game against Carolina in Raleigh, Matvey scored his 80th NHL point. To do this, he needed 111 matches – the fastest in Philadelphia since 1994. The last person to reach this mark faster was Mikael Renberg (80 matches).
The fact is powerful. But the paradox is that with a high rate of scoring points, there remains a feeling of stagnation. Michkov remains useful to the team, but his role and influence on the game is now noticeably less than before.
Last season, Matvey looked much brighter. He was the team’s second scorer, played 80 regular season matches and scored 63 points (26+37). This was hockey in which Michkov felt freer, more often took responsibility and decided on episodes. He is now only Philadelphia’s sixth-leading scorer. The numbers are not yet catastrophic, but the dynamics are obvious: a decline that is difficult to explain only by age or adaptation.
The problem is not only in form – the problem is in the coaches
More and more often, a thought is heard that is difficult to dismiss: Philadelphia and its coaching philosophy are not the best place for the development of a player like Michkov. Neither under John Tortorella nor under Rick Toccheta does he look like a hockey player capable of reaching his maximum.
Both coaches are about discipline, pressure, playing without the puck and strict boundaries. This may work for role players, but for a creative forward with an out-of-the-box mindset, it is akin to imprisonment. Michkov needs a team where they trust him, allow him to make mistakes, take risks and create.
Against this background, the idea of changing the club sounds more and more logical. Not as a gesture of despair, but as a search for an opportunity for development. Michkov has already proven that he is capable of scoring points in the NHL, making history with the club and being a notable figure. Now the question is: will the current system allow us to take the next step? So far the answer is rather negative. The bad streak has dragged on, the role in the attack has been blurred, and everyone still sees the potential – except those who determine exactly how he should play.
Source: Sportbox
I’m a sports enthusiast and journalist who has worked in the news industry for over 8 years. I currently work as an author at Sportish and my work focuses mainly on sports news.