Matvei Michkov may have only played one season in the NHL, but already it appears he's becoming frustrated with the lack of winning in Philadelphia.
The Philadelphia Flyers struggled in 2024/25 under veteran John Tortorella, but the team had a major bright spot in rookie Matvei Michkov, who put up an incredibly impressive 26 goals and 63 points over his first 80 games in the NHL.
However, after just one season, he's already expressing his frustration with losing after the team went 33-39-10 on the season, finishing last in the Metropolitan Division, and he revealed those frustrations in a recent interview with RG Media.
"I'm tired of losing. I want to win.I really want our team to make the playoffs every year and fight for the Stanley Cup."
As for their new Head Coach, Michkov reveals that he doesn't know anything about Rick Tocchet, but if he treats him better than the last and gives him freedom, he reveals that's when he'll be at his very best.
"A new coach always means a fresh start. I don't know him personally, so I can't say much yet. The main thing is that the team improves and makes the playoffs. I just hope I'll have freedom on the ice. When I feel limited, I start focusing on the wrong things."
His next comments were perhaps the most important to show how much winning means to Michkov, as he notes that he will gladly sacrifice his points if it means the team gets better, making it very clear that his sole focus is on winning the Stanley Cup.
"But honestly, I'll do whatever the coach says. The most important thing is for the team to reach the playoffs. If I have fewer points, but the team makes the playoffs, I'll take that over having more points and missing the playoffs. I'm tired of losing. I want to win."
This appears to be a rookie that knows his game and knows what he wants in the NHL, and while the team likely aren't to be Stanley Cup contenders this season, if they can have a good off-season, there's no reason why they can't take a major leap forward and push for a spot in the post-season.
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