With two points against the Washington Capitals in a 6-3 loss on Wednesday night, star rookie Matvei Michkov has officially etched his name in Philadelphia Flyers history. It’s been seven games.
Michkov, 19, recorded one goal and one assist against the Capitals, making him the fifth teenager in Flyers franchise history to record at least seven points in his first seven NHL games.
Former No. 2 overall pick James van Riemsdyk was the last Flyer to accomplish the feat, scoring one goal and six assists in his first seven games back in the 2009-10 season.
The only other players to do this for the Flyers were Peter Zezel (two goals, six assists, and eight points in 1984-85), Eric Lindros (four goals, three assists, and seven points in 1992-93), and Rich Sutter (five goals, two assists, and seven points in 1983-84).
Some of you may remember that Eric Lindros guy. His days with the Flyers ended before my time on this earth started, but seeing he made the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2016, I suppose he was alright.
Perhaps most notably, Michkov repeated Lindros’s feat without even one single point at 5-on-5. Six of Michkov’s points have come on the power play, with the left over one being an assist on Travis Sanheim’s 4-on-4 goal on Tuesday night.
“He’s a pretty electric player when he has the puck,” defenseman Jamie Drysdale said of Michkov after Wednesday’s 6-3 loss. “He really makes things happen out there. Probably could have had three goals tonight, too. He’s a heck of an offensive talent, but it can’t just be him.”
Head coach John Tortorella and the Flyers have yet to find a way to get Michkov or his teammates rolling at 5-on-5; per Moneypuck, only one combination of Flyers forwards has played more than 20 minutes together.
That’s a line of Michkov, Morgan Frost, and Owen Tippett, and their expected goals percentage is an abhorrent 31.6%, the eighth-worst in the NHL among lines with at least 20 minutes together.
In the meantime, Michkov can at least take solace in the fact that his name is up there with Eric Lindros in Flyers history.
