Flyers HC John Tortorella makes his feelings known about Matvei Michkov’s progress after controversial healthy scratch (Image Credit: Imagn)

Several weeks ago, Matvei Michkov was a healthy scratch. On Nov. 7, he was inactive for the first time before being benched on Nov. 9. The former seventh-overall pick was on the Philadelphia Flyers roster and not in the AHL, but he wasn’t playing. It was a move that drew some criticism, but it seems to have sparked real progress for the young player.

Flyers coach John Tortorella said on Monday that he never envisioned having a problem with the former top prospect, via The New York Times:

“I knew I wouldn’t have a problem with him. I knew he’d go the right way.”

During the time of the healthy scratch, he said, via The Athletic:

“If he doesn’t react the right way, he’ll keep sitting. I’m not talking about Matvei, if (any) player doesn’t react the right way. … I’m not in the business to babysit. I’m in the business to teach.”

Michkov rebounded from the healthy scratch and has looked more and more like the player the Flyers envisioned when they spent a top draft pick on him in 2023.

Even after he committed a potentially damaging penalty last week against the Detroit Red Wings (which was not the first penalty he’s committed at a bad time for the Flyers), Tortorella wasn’t going to sit him down. The Flyers clung to a one-goal lead when Michkov punched Alex DeBrincat.

“I haven’t said one word to him about that penalty. I want him to play. He has some feistiness to him. He has some competitive instincts to him. I love that about him.”

Despite some rocky beginnings, the pairing of Tortorella and Michkov seems to be working well for the Flyers.

Flyers star discusses Matvei Michkov’s impressive growth

Matvei Michkov responded to being a healthy scratch, otherwise known as being benched, positively. He has since turned things around and forced the Flyers to play him more. His team has seen some impressive growth from the young player.

Matvei Michkov has improved (Imagn)

Flyers captain Sean Couturier said, via The Athletic:

“Even off ice, I think his English is getting better. It’s becoming a little easier to communicate out there, and get on the same page. It’s still a work in progress, there’s a lot of sign language still. It’s been fun. His game has been really improving since the start of the year.”

He added:

“I think without the puck, especially, he’s starting to learn how to be a little more responsible and to earn that trust to be out there in different situations.”

Couturier has centered Matvei Michkov for much of his time on the ice this season.