Elliotte Friedman just offered his read on how Flyers general manager Daniel Briere sees the Matvei Michkov situation.
It lands in the middle of a week where the 21-year-old's name has been everywhere, and the Flyers (5-10-6) are 28th in the NHL as it plays out.
Friedman laid out his thinking in his latest 32 Thoughts, and it points toward patience rather than a quick exit:
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His thesis is that Briere sees the talent in Michkov and would rather hold onto him too long than jettison him too early. That's a read on a mindset, not a report that a deal is off the table, and it's worth keeping those two things apart.
Michkov was the 7th overall pick in 2023, and the Flyers drafted him themselves. Giving up on a player you selected that high, at 21, is a hard sell for a GM who has to answer for the pick.
We have been following the saga all week. As we covered, seven teams circle Matvei Michkov if he is truly available, and a Canadiens fan account floated a mock deal that sent Kirby Dach and picks to Philadelphia. That one is fan fiction, nothing more.
Then came head coach Rick Tocchet, who has now answered the trade talk, and he didn't sound like a coach looking to entertain it.
Should the Flyers really hold on to Michkov?
The production gives Briere something to point to. Michkov has 10 goals and 15 points in 21 games this season, and five of those goals have come on the power play.
But the other side is ugly. He is a -11, on a team with a -22 goal differential, and the Flyers have lost 10 of their 21 games in regulation.
Our view: Briere is right to wait. A 10-goal start from a player this young doesn't read like a problem to be solved by a trade, and the minus numbers belong to a team that is 2-6-3 on the road, not to one forward.
Still, patience only holds so long when the standings look like this. If Philadelphia keeps sliding, the pressure on Briere to move his most valuable chip will grow with every loss.
The Flyers visit Columbus on Saturday, and Michkov's name will follow them there.
This article was written with the help of artificial intelligence, based on public reports and official sources.
What should the Flyers do with Matvei Michkov?
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