Matvei Michkov needed a strong offseason after his sophomore campaign was a bit up-and-down, and man, is he ever delivering early in training camp! All eyes were glued to the Russian winger for the first three days last week, and what everyone saw was pure progress. After rolling into camp out of shape last year, Michkov’s hard work this summer is totally paying off. His first day couldn’t have gone better, he looked the part on the ice, and even did his first English interview afterward. This wasn’t just a one-day flash, either, because Michkov kept putting on a show on Friday and then again in a packed intrasquad scrimmage at the Flyers Training Center on Saturday.
Hockey IQ Off The Charts
On Friday, Michkov was flexing those insane passing skills from below the goal line. Remember that play where the puck was reversing behind the net, and he zipped it back to Zach Aston-Reese waiting for a one-timer in the bottom of the circle? That change of motion totally catches goalies off guard, and it’s something we’ve seen him pull off in games. He made a super similar move later in a two-on-two drill, carrying the puck behind the net but then dishing a slick backhand pass to Denver Barkey right at the side of the net instead. These plays just scream “hockey genius.” Most guys would just keep the puck moving forward and battle, but Michkov is thinking one or two steps ahead, always opening up new avenues. Plus, you know goalies gotta have a Michigan attempt lurking in the back of their minds when he’s got the puck.
Putting in the Work
It’s not just the flashy stuff, though. Michkov spilled the beans in his Thursday press conference that Rick Tocchet and the Flyers wanted him to work on his one-timer over the offseason. Makes total sense, right? If he’s gonna play on the right side as a left-hand shot, a killer one-timer becomes a massive weapon. And guess what? After the official practice session on Friday, Michkov was one of the last guys off the ice, drilling that one-timer with Coach Tocchet and the captain right there, offering pointers. It’s awesome to see him so confident with the puck in practice and then putting in the extra work to get himself dialed in for the regular season. It’s great in practice, but even better when it translates to a game situation, even if it’s just a scrimmage. Michkov absolutely popped off in that scrimmage with several highlight-reel plays, his full skill set was on display in the 3-on-3 portion.
This kind of dedication and early camp performance just sets the stage for what could be a huge season. It’s all about getting ready for the regular season, right? That’s what Michkov is clearly focused on, and it’s awesome to see. Speaking of awesome, the Kraken just grabbed a road win, taking down the Calgary Flames 4-2! Big one for our boys on the road!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Broad Street Hockey.
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