Top 10 Matvei Michkov moments of 2024-25 Flyers season

Matvei Michkov’s rookie season was something to behold. Here are the top 10 moments from the Philadelphia Flyers phenom last year/

In his first season as a Philadelphia Flyer, Matvei Michkov captivated, charmed and led the charge for the Flyers most nights. While snubbed out of the Calder Trophy nominations for rookie of the year, Michkov had 63 points on a team with a beyond horrid power play. And for every great play he helped set up or scored on, he also showed a willingness to battle and chirp opponents, even if his English is far from perfect. Here then are 10 of the best Matvei Michkov moments of the past season. Although some of the moments were obviously on the ice, there were a few off ice highlights that showed a quick wit.

10) Matvei Michkov meets Quinton Byfield (December 29, 2024)

With the Flyers on their post-Christmas West Coast swing, the team found themselves down a goal to the Los Angeles Kings. The Kings were hemmed in their own zone but Byfield helped clear the puck. After making the clear, Michkov went over to rub Byfield out of the play. Giving up some height and possibly a few pounds to Byfield, Byfield tried to push Michkov away. A tussle ensued, with Byfield taking a poke at Michkov and Michkov retaliating with a love tap to Byfield’s helmet. Both players were given minors on the play.

The Flyers lost the game 5-4. But the game and that play showed that Michkov wouldn’t be run out of the rink without standing up for himself. It wasn’t the only time he’d show that side of himself on the ice. Despite his height, Michkov proved he was more than willing to give as much as he took.

9) Michkov breakaway boggles Buffalo goalie (March 29, 2025)

There weren’t nearly enough goals in transition in 2024-25 from Philadelphia. This particular highlight demonstrated just how potent they can be when they can make the opposition cough up the puck. Midway through the second period, and down a goal, Buffalo had possession but Sean Couturier made a great stick check. The puck then went to Travis Konecny who quickly passed it up to Michkov who was alone.

Michkov was not quite as clear as he’d like, with the Buffalo defender cutting down his time and space. The Mad Russian however sheltered the puck from the defender on his backhand. Many would attempt to go to their forehand at some point. However Michkov stayed on the backhander, rifling it over Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen to tie the game 3-3. Watching Konecny skating behind one almost assumed he would be there for the rebound because Michkov couldn’t score on the backhand. Wrong. A great goal, one of 26 he had last season.

8) Michkov cheats a bit but it pays off against Capitals (February 6, 2025)

It’s the type of play that probably drove former coach John Tortorella nuts. It could be the type of play that’ll drive Rick Tocchet batty. Regardless, the end result was all that mattered. With the game scoreless late in the opening frame, Washington had the puck in the Flyers’ zone. From the broadcast it looked like the Capitals had a man advantage, with five Caps visible but just the four Flyers. Where was Matvei?

Well, Matvei was pinching (cheating?) a bit up ice, getting behind the Capitals defenders. Travis Sanheim got control of the puck and quickly dished it up to Michkov who was waiting for the puck around center ice. Michkov took control, spun around and had three or four strides between himself and Washington’s Dylan Strome. Michkov took a wrister that was perfectly placed, beating Charlie Lindgren clean and giving the Flyers a 1-0 lead. Had Michkov missed the chance to score, chances are he would’ve heard about it from Tortorella on the way back. Did he avoid a benching? We’ll never know. What we do know is Michkov is pretty, pretty good on breakaways.

7) Michkov scores and gets the hat….oh no (March 27, 2025)

After scoring a goal in the first and another in the third, Matvei Michkov looked primed to have another first taken off his NHL to-do list. Namely scoring a hat trick. Michkov took a pass from Travis Konecny and had a wide open empty net to shoot at. Unfortunately his shot hit the post, fooling everyone at Wells Fargo Center and even the Flyers television broadcast crew. Heck, he even had Brad Shaw holding his head in shock.

Michkov fell into the boards, but when he got back up he raced to the bench clearly irked. After briefly going down the hallway, the rookie returned to celebrate the 6-4 victory with his teammates.

Michkov showed his sense of humor days later after a breakaway attempt against Nashville. The rookie said the pass — which went up in the air — caused him to be “blinded for a second and didn’t score.” After waiting for translator (and Flyers coach) Slava Kuznetsov to finish, Michkov quipped. “Normally it would be in the net. Unless it’s empty.”

6) Hits the 20-goal mark in loss to Winnipeg (March 6, 2025)

The game was over by then. Winnipeg dominated the game and were up 4-0 with garbage time remaining in the third. But Michkov managed to cradle the puck in the neutral zone and came down on Winnipeg goaltender Eric Comrie. Comrie, who rarely played thanks to Connor Hellebuyck, was looking for the shutout. Michkov had other ideas, beating Comrie with a quick wrister he didn’t have a chance on. The goal broke the shutout and gave Michkov his twentieth goal of the season. Yet knowing his modus operandi, chances are he would’ve traded the goal for a win.

5) Michkov versus Gudas (January 11, 2025)

The game was circled on many Flyers calendars for one reason and one reason only: the return of William Gauthier to the city and team that drafted him before he headed for sunny California and the Ducks. During the game though, Michkov was able to get under the skin of defenseman (and former Flyer) Radko Gudas. In the third period, with the Flyers comfortably up 4-0, Gudas and Michkov tussled. Gudas pushed Michkov into the back of the net. Michkov didn’t appreciate it and looked to either hit Gudas in the face with his stick, his gloves, or both. From there Gudas took a few pokes at Michkov and pushed him back to the glass.

Neither one got much more into it as other players approached and kept the pair from fighting. And most likely Michkov from getting hit by a player who isn’t afraid to hit to hurt opposing players. Again, it showed that Michkov isn’t afraid to get in the middle of things regardless of how big, strong or imposing the other guy is. The bigger they are, the harder they fall. At least that’s the old adage.

4) Another breakaway, another goal (January 18, 2025)

He scored game-winners against St. Louis, Chicago and Ottawa. However Michkov was often quite deadly on breakaways, rarely missing wide with his chance and often beating goalies clean on their glove side. A perfect example took place during what would be a 3-1 Flyers win against the host New Jersey Devils. Early in the second period, with the Devils up 1-0, Michkov was near his own blue line when a Devils player tried a pass that was quickly intercepted by Sean Couturier. Almost instinctively, Michkov bolted forward, sensing the Flyers captain could dish the puck up to him. He did.

From there on Michkov zeroed down on goaltender Jake Allen and beat him with a sweet and quick wrister that missed Allen’s glove but hit the inside of the post. Fortunately the puck didn’t bounce out but caromed into the net, tying the game 1-1. It was again another indication of what Michkov was capable of, even if during that game only Olle Lycksell and Garnet Hathaway had less ice time than the Mad Russian (12:58). Had Tortorella decided to routinely bump Michkov’s ice time up to 15 or 16 minutes, it’s possible he would’ve led all rookies in scoring by a sizeable margin. It’s doubtful that would’ve been enough to overcome the other negatives in the season and carry the Flyers to the playoffs.

3) Battle of the Rookies (November 11, 2024)

After a two-game healthy scratching/benching/whatever you wish to call it, Michkov returned to play against the San Jose Sharks. It looked like a rather meaningless game against a poor Western Conference team. The underlying story was a battle between Sharks rookie Macklin Celebrini and Michkov. Celebrini was taken first overall in 2024 NHL Draft while Michkov was arguably one of the top two prospects in 2023. Michkov just happened to drop into the Flyers lap with the seventh pick.

With the game tied at three as the clock wound down in regulation time, Celebrini and Michkov had a little scuffle. It appeared Celebrini knocked the stick out of Michkov’s hand. The duo then pushed each other, Celebrini with his stick to Michkov’s chest. The Flyers rookie then threw two quick left handers, one which grazed the Sharks rookie while the second one connected a bit more.

The punches could’ve been costly as Michkov was given a minor penalty at the end of regulation, meaning San Jose started overtime with a power play. The Flyers held on however, leaving it to go to a shootout.

Michkov, who got an assist in the first period on Travis Konecny’s goal, and scored himself in the second period, atoned for the aggression in the shootout. After Celebrini was stopped on his attempt (and San Jose’s first of the session), Michkov (on the Flyers’ second attempt) made a pretty play and scored, winning the game for Philadelphia 4-3.

2) Takes big hit to make bigger play in Dallas (March 22, 2025)

With the playoffs starting to become more unrealistic with each loss, the Flyers faced the Dallas Stars in late March. Down a goal late in the second period, Michkov took a clearing pass around center ice and held onto the puck. Stars defenseman Lian Bichsel, who is 6’7″ and 231 pounds, was coming down to take Michkov out. Or put in through the boards. By simply waiting that extra second, the Flyers rookie drew Bichsel in and took a rather punishing hit. Michkov’s pass however got to Ryan Poehling, who suddenly had a lot more room and time to beat the Stars goaltender and tie the game up.

Michkov dusted himself off and made the sacrifice to help the team. The play also got kudos from Tortorella after the game, who praised Michkov for taking the punishment to make the play. Again, not a huge highlight reel move, but one which showed the rookie is going to go to the dirty areas to help the Flyers win. And speaking of dirty areas…

1) What started it all (October 16, 2024)

It took 24 months quicker than expected (or twelve months later if you’re completely unrealistic), but last summer Matvei Michkov was in North America and getting prepared for his first NHL season with the Philadelphia Flyers. He didn’t score in his first NHL game in Vancouver, but made up for it with a pair of goals against the Oilers.

His first goal wasn’t pretty. Won’t be found on any year-end highlight reel. It epitomized what Michkov is capable of doing in what his hopefully a long, productive and successful career with Philadelphia. Early in the first period, Owen Tippett won a puck battle and took a weak backhand shot that went wide. Michkov was right at the doorstep of Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner and began whacking away at the loose puck. All the while Oilers defenseman Brett Kulak was trying to knock him off the puck. Michkov pointed down to the net and believed he scored.

We’re not sure how many first NHL goals ended up being video reviewed by the officials. We assume even fewer were then challenged by the opposition for goaltender interference. But after checking things twice, the officials ruled it was a good goal with no goalie interference. Michkov celebrated the goal on the bench a second time, punching the air while other Flyers gave him head taps. The career of one of the better, high-end talents the Flyers have had in the last decade commenced. And with that the hopes of anyone associated with the Flyers — whether a fan or Flyers Governor Dan Hilferty — rose steadily.