Matvei Michkov spoke today in his inaugural press conference in Philadelphia. Michkov sat in the middle with Slava Kuznetsov on his left and Danny Briere on his right. Briere shared his excitement about having Michkov finally in Philadelphia, but he doesn’t want the pressure of being the “fix” of the organization on the 19-year-old forward.
However, Michkov admitted while going through Kuznetsov as his translator that he wanted to take this team back to the playoffs. Michkov has yet to speak to head coach John Tortorella but is excited to work with him. Briere mentioned that with Tortorella, you don’t need “words” to be said with how he coaches, but he thinks the dynamic between the two will be good.
Even though Michkov has been in Russia, with modern technology, he has been able to communicate with his teammates. He said he spoke with Erik Johnson, Ivan Fedotov, Egor Zamula, and others. Danny Briere noted that he showed Michkov a video of Nick Deslauriers fighting in the Rangers game (against Matt Rempe) and said, “That’s his new best friend.”
One of the most notable quotes Michkov said was, “Help the team win the whole thing.” Philadelphia’s off-season has been mostly bland, but Michkov’s arrival elevates the excitement around the season ahead. Having Michkov perform at the level he did in Russia is a big piece of the future and, one day, potentially a cup-contending team.
Briere confirmed that Michkov will have help with his English, which Briere had to do himself when he joined the league. The Flyers general manager also commented on how close the locker room is and why it’s so important to have the veteran leadership that they do.
Finally, a proud Briere handed Michkov his sweater to put on. With a smile on both of their faces, it’s clear the future of the Flyers is here.
