Matvei Michkov #39 of the Philadelphia Flyers (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
Matvei Michkov practically gave up a real vacation to prepare for his third NHL season. The Russian forward confirmed he plans to return to the Philadelphia Flyers in early August.
The 21-year-old is still training in Russia for now. On July 25, he played in the Match of the Year, a charity game organized for a third consecutive year by Alex Ovechkin, Artemi Panarin and Mikhail Sergachev. Michkov scored a hat trick, including a lacrosse-style goal. This summer he trained in Perm, Moscow and St. Petersburg, and also took part in Artemi Panarin’s camp.
“There was no vacation at all, because an important season is ahead,” Michkov said in an exclusive interview with RG. “I need to play well, I want that myself. So I need to keep my body in shape at all times.”
This summer matters especially because of how last season went for Michkov. After a tough first two-thirds of the regular season, the Russian clearly improved after the Olympic break and scored more points than any other Flyers player down the stretch.
But in the playoffs, his production dropped. Michkov had six points in ten Stanley Cup playoff games, and the coaching staff scratched him from the lineup twice during the run. After the season ended, the forward admitted he learned an important lesson.
“What did I learn from last season? That you need to prepare well for the season, not treat it carelessly,” Michkov said.
Three Practices a Day
The Flyers closely followed the preparation of one of their key young players. In June, a specialist Michkov is comfortable working with, and who is well known at the club, came to Russia. The player said the Flyers representative spent two weeks with him. The program was very intense — at times Michkov trained three times a day.
“Philadelphia sent a coach to oversee my preparation for the start of next season. We worked for two weeks, doing three practices a day. In the morning there was the gym, a strength workout, then we’d go to the ice, and in the evening there was another session — for physical conditioning. Unfortunately, the coach didn’t have that much time, so he wanted to fit everything into two weeks.”
Michkov got extra work at Panarin’s camp too. According to the forward, you can pick up almost any part of your game from one of the best Russian players in the NHL.
“You can learn everything from Artemi — from passing to shooting. I think you can take a lot from Panarin. It definitely won’t hurt.”
Michkov is now also taking nutrition and recovery more seriously, though the wearable devices popular among athletes for tracking their condition don’t always work for him.
“I put on a Whoop band once. It showed me 20 percent recovery — I haven’t worn it since. It’s important to eat right so you have the energy for training and recovery. All great players come to this sooner or later. So I have to stick to it too.”
North American media previously reported that Michkov plans to arrive in Philadelphia well before training camp officially opens — in early August. He confirmed those plans.
“I want to get a bit more preparation done there, so I can start the season well and play well.”
The Russian hasn’t named an exact departure date yet. He first intends to finish his planned training cycle back home.
“My training in Russia is still ongoing. There are certain cycles, and once they’re done, I’ll fly to America.”
All of Philadelphia Is Built Around Zegras Now
One of the big storylines of the Flyers’ offseason was Trevor Zegras’s new deal. The American forward signed a four-year contract worth $36.5 million total, averaging $9.125 million per season. In the 2025-26 regular season, Zegras set personal records with 26 goals and 67 points.
The Zegras-Michkov combination is seen as one of the most intriguing options in the Flyers’ attack. Both have unconventional hockey minds, can create chances out of almost nothing, and love to play with the puck.
Michkov said he congratulated his teammate on the new deal and called him one of the central figures on the current Flyers roster.
“I congratulated Trevor on his new contract. He’s staying for four more years. I think it’s a good signing for Philadelphia, because he’s a strong player. You could say the whole team is now basically built around him.”
Meanwhile, the club hasn’t yet started negotiations with Michkov himself on a new contract. His current entry-level deal runs through the end of the 2026-27 season.
“No, there haven’t been any talks yet. I don’t know. My main task is to focus on next season. And whatever happens, happens. As God wills, so it will be.”
Michkov also hasn’t had a serious conversation yet with head coach Rick Tocchet. The coach has previously praised the Russian’s great talent but noted he still needs to become a fully formed player capable of dictating the team’s game.
“No talks yet. When everything starts, then we’ll talk.”
LeBron James Is Also Coming to Philadelphia
This summer, another Philadelphia team pulled off one of the biggest moves in American sports. Four-time NBA champion LeBron James announced he’s leaving the Los Angeles Lakers after eight seasons to join the Philadelphia 76ers.
According to American media, the 41-year-old agreed to a two-year deal worth $8 million total, taking a significant pay cut for another shot at a championship.
Michkov, who loves basketball and regularly attends Sixers games, reacted emotionally to the move by one of the biggest stars in NBA history.
“This is just great. I love basketball, and the fact that LeBron signed in Philadelphia means a lot. I think for the city itself, and for me too. Now it’ll be even more interesting to go to games and watch a player that great perform.”
Michkov said the city’s hockey team will be rooting for the Sixers in their title chase.
“If they win, I think all of Philadelphia will be happy. We’ll be supporting them.”
Where the Flyers Stand With Bookmakers
Ahead of Michkov’s return, hockey betting sites still have Philadelphia pegged as a long shot to win it all in 2026-27, even as oddsmakers like the Flyers to get back into the playoff picture. Here is how five sportsbooks price Philadelphia across the major markets.
Philadelphia Flyers Odds, 2026-27MarketTonybetStake22bet1xbetFanDuel (U.S.)Stanley Cup winner51.1051.0050.0051.1+6000Eastern Conference winner23.9123.0026.0026.00+2700To make the playoffs2.352.35——+144To miss the playoffs1.601.60——−186Points total, Over 93.51.96—1.90——Points total, Under 93.51.86—1.83——
FanDuel prices are American odds; the rest are decimal.
Michkov himself is also entering the new season with noticeably higher expectations. The Flyers already made the playoffs and won a round, the club is signing its top players to long-term deals, and after a tough year, the Russian essentially spent the whole summer preparing. Now he has to prove the lessons really were learned.