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Philadelphia Flyers rookie Matvei Michkov returned to the lineup on Monday against the San Jose Sharks after being a healthy scratch for the previous two games, and head coach John Tortorella was happy with his efforts in his return to the ice.
“He played good,” John Tortorella said, via Josh Wegman of theScore. “… I wasn't worried about how he was going to respond. I wasn't worried about that at all. He competes.”
The Flyers won the game 4-3 in a shootout, and Michkov chipped in with a goal and an assist in the contest. He also contributed on defense, with a notable play on Macklin Celebrini late in regulation. To finish his efforts on the night, Michkov scored a goal in the shootout as well. The rookie spoke on the time off and how it served him well in his return to the lineup.
“I had plenty of energy and feel really good,” Michkov said through an interpreter, according to Wegman. “The two games I watched, it was good to watch and good to get some times off and rethink.”
Despite being a healthy scratch for the last two games, Michkov remains an important piece for the Flyers' future, as they selected him with the No. 7 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft. Turning in a quality performance in his return to the lineup was an encouraging development.
Flyers look to build off of win over Sharks
After the win over the Sharks, the Flyers moved to 6-8-2 on the season. They are tied with the Pittsburgh Penguins for sixth in the Metropolitan Division, one point behind the New York Islanders and five points behind the New York Rangers. The Flyers have been building for the long-term for years now, but Michkov is one of those important pieces who should be a fixture for the organization as it tries to emerge as a contender again in the near future. Him turning in a good rookie season would be huge for the trajectory of the franchse.
The Flyers' next game will be against the Ottawa Senators, who also have 14 points on the season, albeit with a 7-7-0 record. This is a good opportunity for the Flyers to pick up a win against a team that is in their perceived weight class. the game after that is against the Buffalo Sabres, who were dealt an injury to their best player in Tage Thompson. It will be interesting to see how the Flyers and Michkov build off of the win over the Sharks.
