Tocchet tired of questions about Michkov, but was saying that a mistake by the Flyers coach?

PHILADELPHIA -- Rick Tocchet did himself no favors on Monday. 

No matter how right he is - and he is right with what he says about Matvei Michkov - complaining about the number of questions about him is not the best course of action.

Not for this fanbase. Not in 2025. 

I wasn't planning on writing about this today. I had a good one-on-one chat with Rasmus Ristolainen at the morning skate and was planning to do a story about him. But because of this, that'll have to be saved for tomorrow.

Because when it comes to Michkov and the Flyers, there is a real hypersensitivity about him, the narratives that are created around him and the are wild assumptions made about relationships, feelings, deployment and development related to him that are all over the damn map.

And while it's easy to rail against that craziness that exists in online spaces that no sane sports sports fan should ever have to traverse - believe me, I'm one of those who does, for better or for worse - all Tocchet did Monday was pour gasoline on that fire. 

Here's the genesis of what happened. 

On Saturday in New York, cameras caught Tocchet, assistant coach Yogi Svejkovsky and Michkov having an animated conversation on the bench during the game.

 Here it is:

Now, if we're being honest, it was more between Michkov and Svejkovsky with Tocchet intervening to calm Michkov down, which makes sense since Svejkovsky can communicate with Michkov in Russian. 

But that reality is not enough red meat for the hoi polloi, so it's been described as a "heated exchange," by many, between Tocchet and his promising second-year player. 

I am constantly confounded by the need to turn everything into something dramatic, confrontational, and somehow damaging, but that's the world we live in today, unfortunately. 

It's like everything these days needs to be an intergalactic chase, and the fans are Dark Helmet and the media is Colonel Sandurz and we are operating at ludicrous speed:

That said, there's nothing wrong with the media asking questions about this exchange. They didn't have the opportunity to do so on Saturday because they were in the arena and not watching the broadcast, and then there was a total day off for the team on Sunday. 

So, this was the first chance to discuss it. 

The first question came, and it was a fair one:

Q: The cameras caught, in the Rangers game, a little interaction with Michkov, Yogi and you and I was just wondering what your perspective of it was?

Tocchet then offered a very honest and straightforward answer.

"That happens all the time," he said. "Not just Mich. It's a story because it's Mich. It wasn't even an argument. It was about when he should switch and not ... He's getting it. When to switch and when not to ... that's all it was. He was just getting frustrated on when to switch and when he shouldn't switch. I know there's a lot of media people that like to let him do what he wants, but there's a time to switch and (not) to switch. That's what it comes down to."

O.K. there's stuff to unpack from that answer.  

First, Tocchet is right. These things happen all the time. Players and coaches bark at each other on the bench. It's been happening for decades. We only care because it's Michkov. If that was Travis Konecny, or Nick Seeler, it would barely get attention. 

But everyone is uber-sensitive about Michkov. So, an explanation was warranted. And the explanation was fine.

Except the part about the media wanting him "to do what he wants." I'm not sure there's been a person around the team on a regular basis who has been screaming from the rafters of the Xfinity Mobile Arena to unleash Michkov without any guardrails. 

Now, there are some fans, who platform themselves (loudly) to do that, but I wouldn't lop them in with the hard-working media who are down there with regularity.   

There was a second Michkov question, a follow-up from the same reporter:

Q: You've talked about how he's sort of adjusting this season that he's kept the right attitude. Have you seen that continue? At the same time he's obviously getting frustrated at times too.

Again, a fine question. Nothing leading or provocative. Basically trying to get a fuller picture. 

Tocchet could have easily answered this and said something like, "Yes, he's still working hard and improving little by little and we're helping him to get through his frustrations."

Instead, he chose to talk about some of the things that he sees that are impacting Michkov's game when he's on the ice. 

"Guys that want to score goals, they get frustrated, but you can't let it affect your overall game," Tocchet said. "You got to continue to go to spots. Keep going to the middle. Keep getting to that slot area. When we already have two guys down low, don't go behind the net. Things like that. 

"He's just got to stay with it because he'll get those chances. He had some chances against the Rangers. ... He had two, half-breakaways. Now, he's got to play a little faster and separate himself. That's what it comes down to. He can't get frustrated and just keep working."

Again, a transparent answer identifying what's just not clicked yet in Michkov's game this season. There was an easier out for the coach, but so far, two good questions and two solid answers, minus the media thing. 

Then things started to take a turn.

Another reporter asked a question about the "switching" Tocchet talked about in the first question, seeking clarification.

Q: When you mentioned the switching ... I think we talked in Buffalo about him sometimes taking too short of a shift. Is it relation to that where he's coming off too soon, or staying on too long?

Another fair question. Context is always key to understanding why certain things happen, so this one makes sense. 

Here's Tocchet's response:

"We tell our players, 'When you're tired, get off,'" he said. "So if he's tired after 20 seconds, get off. I don't know what you want me to say. He's getting enough shifts. He's coming off short. Sometimes he's tired. I don't know what the big deal with that is."

I don't either, Toc. But, it wasn't exactly an answer to the question that was asked. Still, it's more information to be gleaned. More context. 

In other words, is there a possible correlation to the shorter shift impacting the right and wrong time to switch? 

Yes. Of course. Sometimes you have to suck it up for some extra seconds on the ice to make sure that the switching time is one that is safe or advantageous for the team. 

Switching at the wrong time could lead to odd man rushes against, stretch plays against, or other disadvantages. Timing is key, and that's probably the genesis of the initial discussion between Svejkovsky and Michkov.

So again, a valid answer by Tocchet, but you can see he was starting to get annoyed at the questions all being about the same thing. 

Which led to the breaking point, a fourth (and ultimately, final) question about Michkov. 

Q: I saw you working with him today. It seems like he's willing to want to work on things and he's a competitive guy. Have you appreciated his sheer competitiveness?

This is when Tocchet had had enough, but probably should have known better than to pull the plate of raw steak away from the caged lion at feeding time.

"You know, we're 17-10. We've got a good record and I've answered six Michkov questions," Tocchet said, hyperbolically. "I mean, enough is enough, guys. I'm getting a little ... I mean... We got (Dan) Vladar having a great year. (Jamie) Drysdale playing really good at 5-on-5 for us. (Cam York) is doing a really good job. We've got a lot of other players playing good in a team game.

"I mean this is the fifth question. I know you guys - and I appreciate it - but you're trying to make something that's not. He's got to learn to play the game and he's trying. He's a lot better defensively. He's a lot better playing a team game. That's how you win hockey. It's not about catering to one person. I hate to tell you guys. That's it."

Well. 

Michkov: *breathes*

Tocchet: *blinks*

Flyers Twitter: pic.twitter.com/j2JGHxIuj3

— Efrantheeman (@EthanFreeMNiD) December 22, 2025

Here's where Tocchet didn't help matters. He has to know, whether it's appropriate or not, Michkov matters more than any other player to the fans. 

Even if everything Tocchet says is right - and it is. Ask anybody who watches this team on a nightly basis who has played the game and they will all agree with everything Tocchet says and has said about Michkov - it doesn't matter. You need to feed the beast. 

Here's another sport's example. 

The Phillies played the Dodgers twice in the regular season and once in the playoffs in both Philadelphia and Los Angeles. I was at every game. You know how many Japanese media were present? Dozens. They filled almost the entirety of the media dining room at Dodgers Stadium in the playoffs, and had some seats in the actual press box as well. 

Did the Dodgers have that kind of Japanese media attention before having Japanese players on their team, and specifically Shohei Ohtani? 

No. (OK, a little bit with Hideo Nomo back in the day, but you get my point). 

The reason they are there is the fans back in Japan want to know absolutely everything about Ohtani (Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Roki Sasaki, too) on a daily basis. 

It's just the way it is. Michkov, in this town, has that kind of appeal to Flyers fans. It because they have been starved for a superstar for forever. They are all hoping and praying every day that Michkov becomes that, even if he's not close to that right now. His potential is what drives their mania for him. 

As such, it would be wise for Tocchet to remember that. Even if it means repeating yourself. Even if it means saying the same thing over and over. You need to feed that beast.

You can't do anything about how they interpret what you say. Or the crazy narratives they try to create in their own minds. 

(Like the Flyers trading for Trevor Zegras with the sole intention of taking minutes and opportunities away from Michkov. Yes, that's a take that's actually out there living and breathing on the interwebs.)

But choosing to shut down questions about Michkov is like feeding a mogwai after midnight and getting it wet at the same time. It's a headache you are bringing on yourself. 

You want to disagree with what he does say about Michkov? Fine. That's your prerogative, even if I agree with the coach and how he's handling him. 

But where I will side with the fans is, you can't shut them out. 

The reporters are asking these questions because they work for companies who want them to not only inform - that is the primary objective - but to understand what players drive readership and engagement.

If not, we'd give equal time to Brittan Covey as we do Jalen Hurts. We'd talk as much to Dom Barlow as we do Tyrese Maxey.

That's just not how it works.

Tocchet can fairly question motive for certain questions or stories after the fact. But in the moment, while everyone is watching, my advice would be to play along and answer the questions to the best of your ability, and keep up the openness and honesty, because it's appreciated. 

But don't decry the questions unless they absolutely, 100 percent deserve it.

 Because after, all, the media are supposed to be a conduit to the fans. And closing that off is only going to make them harder on you until you ultimately succeed.