Rick Tocchet has now answered the Matvei Michkov trade talk, and he didn't sound like a coach who wants to entertain it.
The Flyers coach was asked Wednesday about reports that the 21-year-old forward could be looking for a way out of Philadelphia. The questions came after a 3-2 overtime loss at Edmonton.
Ryan Rishaug relayed Tocchet's answer, which included the line "You can't comment on somebody blogging something that is not true."
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Michkov was also asked about it, according to Rishaug's post. His words, as posted: "I'm no read all news, I no talk in interview, I need concentration on tonight's game." Asked whether he's happy as a Flyer, the post picks up with "Yeah…" and cuts off there.
That unfinished answer is what fans will chew on. A shrug, a full sentence, a pause: the post doesn't say how he finished it.
We told you Thursday that Elliotte Friedman set the record straight on Michkov's situation, and Tocchet's denial lines up with the idea that the noise is bigger than the facts.
The timing makes it awkward either way. Philadelphia is 5-10-6, 28th in the NHL, and sits seventh in the Metropolitan Division. Goal differential is -22.
Michkov is not the reason the record looks like this, but he isn't hiding from it either. He has 10 goals and 15 points in 21 games, with five of those goals on the power play. He is also a -11, which is a number the Flyers will want fixed whatever happens with the rumors.
Who would line up if Michkov really is available?
The market is real, and it's been busy. We looked at the seven teams circling Michkov, and a Canadiens fan account even floated a mock deal, though that was a fan idea and nothing more.
Our view: trading a seventh-overall pick from 2023 while he's producing at this rate would be a mistake. Michkov has 56 goals over 182 NHL games, and the Flyers already have a roster that can't score enough. His contract is an entry-level deal that expires after this season, and he'll be a restricted free agent, so Daniel Briere has leverage and time.
If Michkov truly wants out, the public answers so far don't say it. Tocchet called the reports untrue, and the player kept his focus on the game.
The Flyers visit Columbus on Saturday, and every shift Michkov plays will be read through this lens.
This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence, based on public reports and official sources.
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