Elliotte Friedman just set the record straight on the Matvei Michkov trade chatter surrounding the Flyers.
The 21-year-old forward has been at the center of a growing storm in Philadelphia, and this morning Friedman gave the clearest read yet on where the organization stands.
His message is that the Flyers intend to prioritize Michkov and make things work. Management views the seventh overall pick from 2023 as a long-term investment, not a problem to be shipped out.
Friedman also addressed the friction. He has heard there was tension between Michkov and some of his teammates, but he indicated the group is working on fixing it. It is a work in progress, not a resolved issue.
Then came the part that matters for the credibility of the whole saga. Friedman made a point of saying that Kevin Weekes did not invent his report. Someone legitimately told Weekes that Michkov would be open to a fresh start elsewhere.
So both things can be true at once. A person in the player's orbit may have floated the idea of a new start, while the team's plan is to keep him and fix the room.
That fits the pile of coverage we've seen over the past 24 hours. Chris Johnston's warning about Michkov's Flyers future was not a comfortable read for Philadelphia, and Friedman's update pushes back on the most extreme version of it.
Are the Flyers really ready to move Michkov?
Based on what Friedman is hearing, no. The organization wants to build around him, and Daniel Briere's group has little reason to sell a young scorer at a low point.
The numbers back up why. Michkov has 10 goals and 15 points in 21 games this season, with five of those goals on the power play. His -11 rating is ugly, but it belongs to a team that sits 28th in the NHL at 5-10-6.
Trading him now would be a mistake. Moving a 21-year-old with 56 career goals while the team is 28th, and while the room is still sorting itself out, means selling at the bottom of the market for a problem that may be fixable.
The on-ice usage has not suggested a player in exile, either. Michkov logged 20:44 in Wednesday night's 3-2 overtime loss at Edmonton and picked up an assist.
The off-ice part is harder to measure. The new Flyers bench clip of Michkov and Travis Konecny showed another heated exchange, and a few clips will not disappear just because management says the right things.
His entry-level deal runs through this season, with restricted free agency waiting at the end of it. That gives Philadelphia a clock, even if Friedman says the plan is patience.
The next test comes Saturday, when the Flyers visit Columbus.
This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence, based on public reports and official sources.
Should the Flyers keep Matvei Michkov and fix the room instead of trading him?
Also read on Markerzone.com:
Senators confirm Nick Cousin's extend of injury and he won't be back in Ottawa anytime soon
