Before the season started, Matvei Michkov was considered one of the leading contenders for the Calder Memorial Trophy that goes to the league’s top rookie.
The 19-year-old Philadelphia Flyers forward has done nothing to dissuade voters thus far.
Michkov scored his first two NHL goals, both on the power play, in a 4-3 overtime loss Tuesday at Edmonton, the defending Western Conference champion.
Michkov, who has three points through as many games, will look to add to that total Thursday when the Flyers wrap up their season-opening, four-game road trip at the Seattle Kraken.
“You could see how excited he was and it’s infectious,” Flyers forward Garnet Hathaway said. “You love it, and he brings it every day. I would have loved to get the win for him and make that night a little more special. He’s got a little more confidence, and I think that’s what’s going to help him build his game.”
Michkov, whose talent arguably was surpassed only by Connor Bedard’s in the 2023 NHL draft, dropped to the seventh overall selection due to uncertainty over when he’d move to North America. He was signed to a contract with Russia’s Kontinental Hockey League through the 2025-26 season.
The final two years of that contract were bought out in the offseason and he signed with the Flyers.
“I didn’t know much about him as far as away from the puck, but he has picked up a number of things that we tried to teach him very early on in the season,” Flyers coach John Tortorella said. “I just think he’s done a really good job as a young kid coming in here with all the things being talked about and all the spotlight on him. He’s handled things very well.
“He likes to score. He’s in the areas. I think that’s what, as a new guy coming in with a big spotlight on him, I think that’s what’s drawn his teammates to him. Not the goals (Tuesday), but some of the other things he does, too. He’s helping our power play, he’s a dynamic guy. It’s something we’ve talked about here since I’ve been here for the past three years is that those are the type of players you need to add to your roster as you go through here to try and be a better team.”
The Kraken are returning home following a 2-1-0 trip to Minnesota, Dallas and Nashville.
Seattle scored four third-period goals Tuesday to beat the Predators 7-3.
“Obviously good for the morale, good for the confidence,” said Kraken forward Chandler Stephenson, who had two assists. “It’s a good win to look back on.”
Stephenson has been playing on a line with Jaden Schwartz, with Oliver Bjorkstrand added Tuesday. Schwartz and Bjorkstrand had a goal and an assist apiece, two of six Kraken players with two-point games.
“It’s been just four games together with Schwartzy,” Stephenson said. “We’ve been talking the whole time; I think we’re more familiar with one another now. And Ollie is just a world-class shooter. You give it to him, and he puts it in the back (of) the net.”
Kraken defenseman Vince Dunn returned against the Predators after missing Sunday’s 2-0 loss at Dallas with an upper-body injury.
–Field Level Media