When Rick Tocchet’s name emerged as a potential candidate to become the Philadelphia Flyers’ next head coach, questions quickly followed about how he would mesh with Matvei Michkov. Tocchet-coached teams are not exactly known for offensive flair, and with Michkov’s development central to the Flyers’ long-term future, some wondered whether bringing him in would effectively handcuff their most important young talent.
Fair or not, the first half of the season has done little to quiet those concerns. Michkov’s raw point totals are down, his ice time has dipped, and Tocchet has faced repeated questions about the winger’s downturn.