Forward Matvei Michkov remains a big part of the Philadelphia Flyers’ plans even after reportedly requesting a trade.
Flyers general manager Daniel Briere fielded questions about Michkov on Wednesday at the GM meetings in Toronto. Briere said he was surprised to hear the news, adding that the team never received a trade request from Michkov or his agent.
Daniel Briere responds to Matvei Michkov rumors
“This is all news to me,” Briere said, via Sportsnet’s Frank Seravalli
Briere then said the Flyers have no desire to move Michkov.
“No, that’s not the plan at all,” the GM said. “We’ve never discussed that.”
The rest of the organization seems to align with Briere’s stance. The Athletic’s Kevin Kurz reported Wednesday morning that the Flyers denied that Michkov requested a trade. ESPN/NHL Network analyst Kevin Weekes first reported the trade request, saying Michkov “would likely want a new start elsewhere” amid a 5-10-5 start and internal tension.
Some of the in-fighting bubbled to the surface when Michkov and defenseman Nick Seeler argued on the bench during a 3-1 win over the Vancouver Canucks (3-16-1) Tuesday night.
“I actually like the fact that our guys are fiery and want to win,” Briere said. “That’s what I saw [in Vancouver]. It’s showing competitive players. That’s what we’re looking for, that’s what we want. The reality is, the team hasn’t performed great this year, and we expect more out of ourselves.”
Why Matvei Michkov will remain the subject of trade rumors
The Flyers may not want to trade Michkov now, but plenty could change before the NHL trade deadline on March 1 at 3 p.m. ET. The forward is in the final year of his entry-level contract. If Philadelphia is truly committed to his future, why isn’t it giving him more ice time?
Entering Wednesday, Michkov and center Trevor Zegras were tied for the team lead in points (14, 10 goals and four assists). Michkov, however, is averaging 15:53 of ice time per game. Tyson Foerster (five points, three goals and two assists) leads the team’s forwards in ice time per game (17:04).
Per Seravalli, Michkov, or an account registered to him, recently liked an Instagram post complaining about his playing time in comparison to less productive players. Giving him more minutes may give the Flyers offense (2.25 GF/G, below league average) a jolt.
“He’s been placed in a position to succeed,” Briere said. “More minutes, more opportunities, more situations than last year. Matvei is developing. He’s far from a finished product.”
Briere is saying the Flyers are committed to seeing Michkov’s development through, but how dedicated Philadelphia is remains to be seen.
