It\u2019s no secret that Matvei Michkov didn\u2019t have the season he wanted to have with the Philadelphia Flyers. He saw a decrease in overall production, a decrease in minutes, and while he did have a solid post-Olympic break, all of that good play was washed away after eight forgettable games and two healthy scratches in the playoffs.<\/p>\n
His name and what he is planning to do this summer to start next season on the right foot, was a massive topic of conversation at exit interviews on Tuesday. Michkov took accountability for his bad games and wasn\u2019t hiding<\/a> from any criticism. Naturally, later that same day while speaking with the established Flyers veterans, Michkov\u2019s name was brought up again and the reaction from his teammates was to support him and help the public understand what the 21-year-old has had to deal with through the last two years.<\/p>\n Travis Konecny can\u2019t imagine going through what Michkov has<\/p>\n Travis Konecny was asked by a reporter during his exit interview just how Michkov is fitting in with the Flyers, considering how much of a big deal the team dynamic is and every player supporting one another has been over the course of the season.<\/p>\n The veteran winger responded by just trying to put himself in Michkov\u2019s shoes and really making it clear that anyone could be struggling in that position.<\/p>\n \u201cI remember when I was his age, trying to find my way. It\u2019s not easy,\u201d Konecny said.<\/a> \u201cAnd I couldn\u2019t imagine, with the language barrier, it\u2019s probably not that easy. But he\u2019s a guy that\u2019s always putting in the work. He\u2019s always in the shooting room, always on the ice, doing extra stuff. So that part of it\u2019s there. It\u2019s just trying to find where he\u2019s comfortable \u2014 at dinner, wherever it is, to help him get to that next step. It takes time for some guys, you know?<\/p>\n \u201cI couldn\u2019t imagine going over and trying to understand Russian for two years. I\u2019d be pretty lost at times too. But when he\u2019s doing good things and he\u2019s scoring goals and he\u2019s making good plays, you just make sure you\u2019re there to pat him on the back, say, \u2018Hey, this is the good stuff. This is the stuff, you do this over and over. You\u2019ll be a heck of a player.’\u201d<\/p>\n Neither could we. To flip the roles and have any player who grew up playing in junior hockey either in Canada or the United States, then developed into a player to play college or pro and finally get to the NHL \u2014 now imagine doing it in a different language in a different culture and on a completely different continent away from most of your family. Other European players have gone through this, of course, but the language barrier does not make it easy, either.<\/p>\n But there is one thing that is certain and Michkov likes to put in the work. He was always seen as one of the first skaters on the ice for practice, and even in the areas of the Flyers Training Center where media weren\u2019t allowed, Konecny saying that the 21-year-old was always in the shooting room and doing whatever extra stuff he can to get better, is such an encouraging sign.<\/p>\n And it might be a little thing but it is so good to see one of the most established players on this team coming to bat for Michkov and potentially taking him under his wing to do more.<\/p>\n Michkov was on the same line as Konecny for a large portion of his rookie year and while the two haven\u2019t shared much of the ice together this season under Rick Tocchet, there is still support there.<\/p>\n Konecny wasn\u2019t the only teammate to use some of his time in front of the media to talk at length about Michkov.<\/p>\n Travis Sanheim says Michkov has faced more pressure than anyone<\/p>\n Travis Sanheim was asked virtually the same question as Konecny \u2014 how Michkov potentially fits in with the rest of the Flyers off the ice, to see if there was some sort of divide here in between him and the team.<\/p>\n \u201cObviously, it\u2019s been difficult with the language the last couple years. I think he\u2019s gotten better and understands a lot more. So you can start to have more conversations with him and better conversations. Ones that you feel like you\u2019re getting somewhere,\u201d Sanheim said.<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cSometimes it\u2019s difficult, you know, early on when you\u2019re not sure he\u2019s understanding exactly what you\u2019re talking about but we\u2019re continuing to grow and get better. It\u2019s just as much as it is learning for him, it is for us too. Handling him and working with him. I think you saw throughout the season ups and downs from him personally. And I think it\u2019s too be expected. He\u2019s a young guy. We all went through what he\u2019s gone through.<\/p>\n \u201cThe pressure that\u2019s put on him is a lot higher than anyone else has had.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2013 Travis Sanheim on Matvei Michkov<\/p>\n