Flyers Star Rookie Praises Demanding Head Coach

The relationship between the Philadelphia Flyers star rookie and their head coach might not be perfect, but there's mutual respect.

Dec 31, 2024; San Jose, California, USA; Philadelphia Flyers right wing Matvei Michkov (39) walks to the ice for warmups before the game between the San Jose Sharks and the Philadelphia Flyers at SAP Center at San Jose. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-Imagn Images / Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

Matvei Michkov is one of the hottest rookies in the NHL this season and is sure to be a huge piece for the Philadelphia Flyers organization for years to come. While Michkov is already proving to be worth the wait for the Flyers, his rookie campaign hasn’t been all sunshine and rainbows.

Flyers head coach John Tortorella has an old school mindset and is usually slow to adapt to the changing sport of hockey. He’s disciplined his star rookie on a couple of occasions, even handing Michkov healthy scratches early in the season.

Despite the slight tension, Michkov thinks highly of his coach and is open to learning everything he can from the veteran bench boss.

“He’s the coach, so he knows best,” Michkov told Responsible Gambler. “Tortorella is very experienced, and there’s a lot I can learn from him. I try to listen to everything he says and follow all his instructions. For now, we communicate only through an interpreter. I can understand him, but I can’t respond yet.”

Michkov notes that his English is getting better every day and the adaptation to America has been smooth. He’s been able to bond with the team and really get a sense of everyday life in the NHL.

Even if they don’t see eye-to-eye on certain things, Michkov praises Tortorella as a coach and as a person.

“For me, the most important quality in a person is honesty, and John Tortorella is a very honest person with everyone. If something is on his mind, he says it. People like that are highly valued in my encirclement.”

While Michkov is learning from Tortorella, maybe Tortorella is learning a bit from Michkov. A few weeks ago, Tortorella was asked about Michkov’s attempts at scoring a lacrosse-styler Michigan goal.

Tortorella threw up his hands and said, “I’ve lost the battle.”

Perhaps both sides can learn from each other as they each hunt for the same goal in Philadelphia, bring the Stanley Cup back for the first time since 1975.

So far through his 37-game NHL career, Michkov has 12 goals and 17 assists for 29 points and is leader in the Calder Trophy race as the league’s Rookie of the Year.

Tortorella has been coaching in the NHL since before Michkov was born. With over two decades of coaching experience, Tortorella has a record of 759-630-37-160 in 1,586 games coached.

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