{"id":330856,"date":"2025-12-04T22:31:07","date_gmt":"2025-12-04T22:31:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/330856\/"},"modified":"2025-12-04T22:31:07","modified_gmt":"2025-12-04T22:31:07","slug":"rick-tocchet-details-new-coaching-strategy-to-unlock-matvei-michkov","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/330856\/","title":{"rendered":"Rick Tocchet details new coaching strategy to unlock Matvei Michkov"},"content":{"rendered":"

Flyers head coach Rick Tocchet said after Thursday\u2019s morning practice<\/a> that he\u2019s been impressed with winger Matvei Michkov\u2019s play the last few weeks. Part of that might be due to the forward shaking off some of the rust that an ankle injury and subpar training regimen resulted in. And part of it might be due to Tocchet and the coaching staff easing up on the gas pedal when it comes to providing Michkov with information and lessons during games. <\/p>\n

When asked about how Michkov and he have communicated despite the obvious language barrier, the head coach was quite forthcoming about how the staff adjusted how they went about approaching the Mad Russian. <\/p>\n

\u201cI think in real time, it\u2019s harder,\u201d he says. \u201cI could bark at somebody and tell them. But with Matvei you\u2019ve got to take your time. You\u2019ve got to get a board, or during intermission time I\u2019ve done it a few times, called him in to show him video. And I can\u2019t correct him on everything. Not so much him but on any player. I\u2019m not a big fan of correcting a player because then you\u2019re in his ear all day. You have guys where if you give them too much information, I don\u2019t want them hitting the ice going like, \u2018What am I doing?’\u201d<\/p>\n

Flyers change approach to coaching Matvei Michkov<\/p>\n

Tocchet said both he and the coaching staff have gone about approaching Michkov differently compared to the start of the season. The coach said they\u2019ve opted to use the less is more method, not bombarding the 20-year-old sophomore winger with more information than needed. <\/p>\n

\u201cDon\u2019t give him too much,\u201d Tocchet says. \u201cYogi (assistant coach Jaroslav Svejkovsky) was talking to him, then Jay (Varady) was, then I was. I think earlier on we were giving him so much information I think we could frustrate him a little bit. I think the last three weeks, we really have dialed in on how we do it. One coach has him for today. \u2018Hey, let\u2019s give him a break today, let\u2019s not talk systems. Let\u2019s talk to him about something else.\u2019 I think collectively we\u2019ve learned how to manage how to give him information because he seems to be grasping it more the last three weeks than he did the first three weeks. I think that\u2019s where we as coaches have adjusted. Sometimes we overcoach or overcorrect, we got to be careful.\u201d<\/p>\n

Tocchet also says since switching Michkov to the left, he\u2019s noticed that the winger is playing far more of a north-south game versus the lateral game he was often seen attempting earlier in the season. That switch has seen Michkov look a lot more like himself than he did at any point in early October where he looked lost and out of position. After registering just five points and a lone tally in October, Michkov picked up steam in November with seven goals and a pair of helpers. And that continued Wednesday night when he earned two assists in a 5-2 victory over Buffalo.<\/p>\n

\u201cI think playing him on the left has made him go more north,\u201d Tocchet says. \u201cHe\u2019s not backwards skating as much now. I\u2019m trying to explain to him that the faster you can go north more the more you can get rush plays. When you\u2019re taking it back and opening up and playing backwards, you\u2019ve got to beat the structure again. If we just beat the structure, why do we want to go behind it and have to beat the structure again? The more north he can play the faster he looks too.\u201d<\/p>\n

Michkov and teammates still \u2018learning the system\u2019<\/p>\n

Tocchet also says that part of the problem some players have faced in the defensive zone, including but not limited to Michkov, stems from not \u201csquashing plays\u201d instantly. It\u2019s something that he hasn\u2019t been impressed with in recent weeks after the Flyers did a fairly effective job of nipping any opposition chances or rushes in the bud when the season started.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter what system you play If you don\u2019t squash plays \u2014 and I\u2019ve explained this to the players and to you guys \u2014 you\u2019re going to make 10 extra reads a game,\u201d he said. \u201cIf you don\u2019t squash a play, I don\u2019t care if it\u2019s Patrice Bergeron, Sidney Crosby, some of the best defensive players, if you give 10 extra reads to those guys it\u2019s hard. So can we squash plays? Can we get in on somebody and win the battle or double up on somebody and get that puck? I feel in the last six or seven games it\u2019s been a mixed bag. I thought early in the year we were a bit better at squashing plays. I feel now not so much. So now you\u2019re giving \u2014 and I hate to say it, Grebenkin, Michkov, Zegras, all these guys that are still learning the system \u2014 10 extra reads. That\u2019s hard on those guys. All of a sudden people are diving all over the place and they\u2019re asking a lot of questions. When there\u2019s 10 extra of those \u2018what happens,\u2019 then it\u2019s hard.\u201d<\/p>\n

Michkov plans to train in Philadelphia area next summer<\/p>\n

Finally, Michkov reportedly said after practice that he was disappointed with his goal and assist output so far this season. And, perhaps to the joyful ears of the Flyers front office, he also stated he\u2019s open to remaining in the Philadelphia area next summer to train for the 2026-27 season. Having the forward minutes away from the training and fitness staff and facilities sounds a lot better for the Flyers than Michkov leaving the training regiments to himself. <\/p>\n

Michkov: \u201cI think I\u2019ll prepare here (next summer). I\u2019m not happy with what\u2019s happening right now. I\u2019m not happy about my points and I\u2019m sure I can do much better, and make it better for the team. And of course, score. You cannot score in every game, but physically need to be\u2026<\/p>\n

\u2014 Kevin Kurz (@KKurzNHL) December 4, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

\u201cI think as a young kid you always look at options to get better,\u201d Tocchet said regarding Michkov\u2019s response to the question. \u201cObviously there\u2019s a lot of good stuff around here, if that\u2019s his choice. We can help him. As for his play I don\u2019t want him to worry about points. He was focused on goals and assists, he\u2019s got to be careful of that. Those things will come by doing the right things. And I think he\u2019s tried to do the right things, where to go in certain areas, he\u2019s getting better at it definitely.\u201d<\/p>\n

So in short, everything seems to be gelling between Michkov and Tocchet, particularly if the optics are some kind of measuring stick. <\/p>\n

Rick Tocchet working with Matvei Michkov before practice. pic.twitter.com\/DiM3X7ibAk<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) December 4, 2025<\/a><\/p>\n

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