Latest news with #MatveiMichkov
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Flyers 2026 Stanley Cup Odds: Better Than the Canadiens?
The Flyers had the worst cumulative save percentage in the NHL this season. (Photo: Russell LaBounty, Imagn Images) The Philadelphia Flyers do not have the best early odds of winning the Stanley Cup in 2026, but how their odds rank compared to some other teams around the NHL might come as a shock. The Flyers, who finished with the fourth-worst record in the NHL this season at 33-39-10, are not projected to win the Stanley Cup next year by any means, but oddsmakers are clearly expecting Philadelphia, led by new head coach Rick Tocchet and star sophomore forward Matvei Michkov, to take a step forward in 2025-26. Advertisement According to FanDuel, the Flyers have +8000 odds to win the 2026 Stanley Cup, which are notably only the 13th-lowest odds and ahead of Metropolitan Division rival Columbus Blue Jackets (+8500), the Anaheim Ducks (+10000), the Montreal Canadiens (+10000), Boston Bruins (+11000), and Buffalo Sabres (+14000). In the case of the Flyers, this is an implied probability of roughly 1.23%. Fans of the Pittsburgh Penguins (+28000), Seattle Kraken (+31000), Chicago Blackhawks, and San Jose Sharks (+50000) can safely flush next season down the toilet if the opinions of oddsmakers mean anything. The Flyers placing ahead of both the Canadiens and the Blue Jackets is a considerable surprise, given that the Canadiens made the playoffs with a 40-31-11 record and 91 points and the Blue Jackets narrowly missed out at 40-33-9 and 89 points. Advertisement Meanwhile, the Flyers finished dead-last in the Eastern Conference with a measly 76 points and just 21 regulation wins. Flyers 2025 Draft Picks Officially Set with Help from Sergei Bobrovsky Flyers 2025 Draft Picks Officially Set with Help from Sergei Bobrovsky With help from old friend Sergei Bobrovsky, all of the Philadelphia Flyers draft picks in the 2025 NHL Draft are now set in stone, including their three coveted first-round picks. Sure, the Canadiens could use some work up front to help ease the burden on captain Nick Suzuki and Calder Trophy winner Lane Hutson, but they're about to have a full offseason and regular season of Ivan Demidov. As for the Blue Jackets, they have an outstanding young core of forwards like Kirill Marchenko, Dmitry Voronkov, Yegor Chinakhov, Adam Fantilli, Kent Johnson, Cole Sillinger, and Gavin Brindley in addition to superstar defenseman Zach Werenski and prospects like Jet Greaves, Corson Ceulemans, Cayden Lindstrom, Denton Mateychuk, and Stanislav Svozil. Advertisement Even a slight step forward from these young guns, combined with some additions in free agency to smooth over the edges, should easily spell a playoff berth for Columbus. The Flyers, on the other hand, don't have the No. 1 centers the Canadiens and the Blue Jackets have, and they don't seem to be optimistic about the prospects of landing one via trade this summer, either. After all, GM Danny Briere has already said that teams are not giving away centers outside of fourth-line guys, and some of those same teams are also jockeying with the Flyers to move up in the 2025 NHL Draft order. So long as Briere and the Flyers remain stagnant, they have no chance of making good on these odds, as dismal as they may already be.
New York Times
3 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Flyers GM Daniel Briere keeps mentioning the ‘plan.' What exactly is it?
VOORHEES, N. J. — Philadelphia Flyers general manager Daniel Briere has repeated a variation of the same phrase three times in recent months: in the aftermath of John Tortorella's firing on March 27; at the formal introduction of coach Rick Tocchet on May 16; and again this week in his annual pre-draft media conference. Advertisement 'One thing I want to make sure, and let our fans know, is that our plan hasn't changed,' Briere said on Tuesday. Briere was responding to a query regarding how aggressive he intends to be this offseason. It's a valid question. Briere has already expressed a desire for the club to turn the corner. He wants the Flyers to be better, perhaps more resembling the 2023-24 club, when they surprisingly stayed in the playoff mix before a confluence of events — some of which were under his control, and some not — saw them fritter it away. There is reason to believe they could improve in 2025-26, too. Matvei Michkov may very well be on the cusp of stardom. Tyson Foerster, Noah Cates, Bobby Brink, Cam York and Jamie Drysdale are all still young and improving. Some intriguing prospects are turning pro. Travis Sanheim and Travis Konecny are two players who any team would love to have. Further, there seems to be a strong internal culture that's been built on hard work and sacrifice, which will be nurtured by having an experienced coach like Tocchet now overseeing the club. But to expect the Flyers to meaningfully take steps forward without a significant addition or two by Briere — particularly after two years of roster subtraction — is, to be blunt, ludicrous. And, considering some of his comments on Tuesday, it's fair to wonder — what exactly is the plan now, after they've reached what Briere has already said he hopes is rock bottom? What we do know, and that Briere has made clear both in his words and his actions, is that he's going to remain patient. It's perhaps his greatest virtue. There is extreme cautiousness to not jeopardize the future for any quick fixes, while ensuring that the players he signs to long-term extensions, and targets in free agency and trades, make sense from both a hockey and cultural standpoint. Advertisement In that sense, it's difficult to argue with much of anything he's done so far. Other than the eight-year extension for Owen Tippett, which could still go either way, Briere has brought in solid veterans and signed current players to reasonable contract extensions only after they've been earned. But something else Briere has done with so many of these moves is hasten the timeline for them to try and become truly competitive again. Konecny and Noah Cates could have easily been moved for futures. Garnet Hathaway and Nick Seeler, had they not been signed to their respective extensions last year, would have brought back more draft picks and/or prospects from playoff contenders looking to bulk up. On top of that, Sanheim, 29, and Konecny, 28 — two established pillars of the rebuild who are now in the primes of their careers — aren't getting any younger. While that all jibes with another part of the plan that Briere has been upfront about — that the Flyers have put a premium on remaining competitive throughout their rebuild — it also reflects that they're planning on getting back to the playoffs sooner rather than later. And now, what is typically the most eventful part of the offseason — the approximate two-week stretch from the end of the Stanley Cup Final to the opening of free agency on July 1 — is here. It's the most opportune time for Briere to try to improve the roster. But, will he? Because judging from what he said on Tuesday, it sure doesn't seem like he's in much of a hurry. The Flyers have three first-round picks and four second-round picks in the upcoming draft, which, you would think, might be available in the right deal for a young player or two who could help now and in the future. The Flyers could conceivably use some of those picks in trades, while also keeping enough of them to bolster what looks like a middle-of-the-road farm system. Advertisement They don't have nearly as much to play with a year from now, with just a total of six picks — one in each round, except the fifth. So, shouldn't there be some urgency to finally take one of those proverbial big swings? Not in Briere's view, if you believe his comments. He suggested that the players the Flyers could select with their bevy of 2025 picks will eventually have more value than the picks themselves. And, in theory, could net a bigger return. 'Right now, the picks are just numbers, when you look at them. But, eventually there's a name to it,' he said. 'The one thing I've realized is (that) when you talk to teams, is that those names become very powerful, (after) you start developing them. It's really tough to acquire the value that teams put on names (that) become stronger and stronger.' Flahr interjected: 'You know what we're trying to do here. … We're not going to be throwing away (assets) for rental, older players. But if there's a younger player that fits in our age group that helps us now, or is worth a pick or certain picks, yeah, certainly.' Of course, there may not be any young, elite players out there to pursue. Briere strongly suggested as much when touching on the club's well-known need for another high-end center. 'Calling around the league and finding centers is almost impossible,' he said. 'And you're not going to find a first-line or second-line center. A lot of teams will be willing to entertain moving a fourth-line guy, but they will want a second-line winger in return. They're hard to find.' They are hard to find. But this is the path that Briere and president of hockey operations Keith Jones chose two years ago. They must have anticipated that this moment was coming. Briere expressed hope that some of the prospect centers already in the system (or that they could select next week) could eventually develop into high-end players, but that could be three or four years away — and the organizational plan, as he's made clear, is to be a competitive team sooner than that. Unless they find more talent before then, the Flyers are at risk of being stuck in that so-called mushy-middle for the foreseeable future. Advertisement Perhaps it's all a smokescreen. Briere said he doesn't expect trade discussions to really ramp up until the start of next week. He may already have something up his sleeve that he's trying not to give away. But if the Flyers are going to achieve their plan of improving next season — and, therefore, making themselves a more desirable organization for free agents in the 2026 offseason, when they have tens of millions of dollars in cap space — the time to do something substantial may have arrived. We'll find out soon enough if the general manager agrees. For now, at least publicly, he's tamping down that expectation. 'We're not going to pay crazy assets just to do something crazy,' Briere said. 'It has to make sense. If it doesn't, it doesn't, we'll select our players (in the draft). It might be all the picks, and there might be nothing that changes, but at the same time, if we have a chance to improve the team and it makes sense for the long term, we are going to look into it. So, it's on the table, but aggressive is probably the wrong word.' (Top photo of Daniel Briere: Bruce Bennett / Getty Images)
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Flyers' Matvei Michkov Joined By 2 Rivals on NHL All-Rookie Team
One voter didn't quite like Matvei Michkov as much as everyone else. (Photo: Kyle Ross, Imagn Images) Star Philadelphia Flyers rookie Matvei Michkov was a near-unanimous admission to the 2025 NHL All-Rookie Team Thursday, and he was joined on the squad by two of his biggest rivals. Michkov, 20, was one of five players named to the NHL All-Rookie Team. Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson, Calgary Flames goalie Dustin Wolf, and San Jose Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini were each unanimous selections after collecting 187 points in the voting process. Advertisement Michkov, with his 186 points, was exactly one point off a unanimous selection. Seems silly, doesn't it? In addition to Hutson, who is typically the subject of online debate amongst Flyers and Canadiens fans, Michkov was joined by another Flyers villain in Cutter Gauthier, who notoriously spurned the team for months leading up to his shocking trade to the Anaheim Ducks. Gauthier, 21, collected the third-most points in the voting process behind Michkov and Celebrini, pulling in 79 points. Trailing him were names like Will Smith (60), Zack Bolduc (20), and Logan Stankoven (16). How Did Matvei Michkov Fare in Calder Trophy Voting? How Did Matvei Michkov Fare in Calder Trophy Voting? Although it was already known Advertisement Philadelphia Flyers star Matvei Michkov wouldn't be a finalist for the 2025 Calder Trophy, the voting process painted a much different picture. Michkov wasn't the only Flyers rookie to represent the organization, either. Rookie defenseman Emil Andrae earned some looks from voters, finishing with seven points in the voting process. Andrae finished fifth amongst defensemen in voting, trailing Albert Johansson, Drew Helleson, and All-Rookie team members Hutson and Denton Mateychuk. Andrae, 23, finished his first full-ish season in the NHL with a goal, six assists, and seven points in 42 games while averaging 17:21 of ice time. As for Michkov, the 20-year-old former No. 7 overall pick led all NHL rookies in goals with 26 and finished with 63 points in 80 games. Advertisement Notably, Michkov racked up three overtime-winners before his 20th birthday on Dec. 9, making him one of four teenagers in NHL history to have at least three. The others are Sidney Crosby, Ilya Kovalchuk, and Rick Nash. It's fair to say that this is a pretty good group to be a part of. Michkov is the first Flyers rookie to be named to the NHL All-Rookie team since Simon Gagne in 2000, with Mikael Renberg (1994) and Eric Lindros (1993) preceding him. For more Flyers news and up-to-date coverage, visit The Hockey News and like our Facebook page. Follow us on 𝕏: @ByJonBailey, @TheHockeyNews
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Flyers' Matvei Michkov Joined By 2 Rivals on NHL All-Rookie Team
One voter didn't quite like Matvei Michkov as much as everyone else. (Photo: Kyle Ross, Imagn Images) Star Philadelphia Flyers rookie Matvei Michkov was a near-unanimous admission to the 2025 NHL All-Rookie Team Thursday, and he was joined on the squad by two of his biggest rivals. Michkov, 20, was one of five players named to the NHL All-Rookie Team. Montreal Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson, Calgary Flames goalie Dustin Wolf, and San Jose Sharks forward Macklin Celebrini were each unanimous selections after collecting 187 points in the voting process. Advertisement Michkov, with his 186 points, was exactly one point off a unanimous selection. Seems silly, doesn't it? In addition to Hutson, who is typically the subject of online debate amongst Flyers and Canadiens fans, Michkov was joined by another Flyers villain in Cutter Gauthier, who notoriously spurned the team for months leading up to his shocking trade to the Anaheim Ducks. Gauthier, 21, collected the third-most points in the voting process behind Michkov and Celebrini, pulling in 79 points. Trailing him were names like Will Smith (60), Zack Bolduc (20), and Logan Stankoven (16). How Did Matvei Michkov Fare in Calder Trophy Voting? How Did Matvei Michkov Fare in Calder Trophy Voting? Although it was already known Advertisement Philadelphia Flyers star Matvei Michkov wouldn't be a finalist for the 2025 Calder Trophy, the voting process painted a much different picture. Michkov wasn't the only Flyers rookie to represent the organization, either. Rookie defenseman Emil Andrae earned some looks from voters, finishing with seven points in the voting process. Andrae finished fifth amongst defensemen in voting, trailing Albert Johansson, Drew Helleson, and All-Rookie team members Hutson and Denton Mateychuk. Andrae, 23, finished his first full-ish season in the NHL with a goal, six assists, and seven points in 42 games while averaging 17:21 of ice time. As for Michkov, the 20-year-old former No. 7 overall pick led all NHL rookies in goals with 26 and finished with 63 points in 80 games. Advertisement Notably, Michkov racked up three overtime-winners before his 20th birthday on Dec. 9, making him one of four teenagers in NHL history to have at least three. The others are Sidney Crosby, Ilya Kovalchuk, and Rick Nash. It's fair to say that this is a pretty good group to be a part of. Michkov is the first Flyers rookie to be named to the NHL All-Rookie team since Simon Gagne in 2000, with Mikael Renberg (1994) and Eric Lindros (1993) preceding him. For more Flyers news and up-to-date coverage, visit The Hockey News and like our Facebook page. Follow us on 𝕏: @ByJonBailey, @TheHockeyNews
New York Times
12-06-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Red Wings NHL Draft scenarios: The steal, the trade-up, the chalk
The NHL Draft is always good for a few surprises. Last year, the right permutation of picks led to exciting young defenseman Zeev Buium still being available at No. 12, where Minnesota picked him. In 2023, the uncertainty around thrilling Russian winger Matvei Michkov allowed Philadelphia to snag him at No. 7. We've seen exciting young players such as Cole Caufield, Zach Benson and Jonathan Lekkerimaki hang around into the teens. Advertisement The point is: No matter how many mock drafts you make (or read), there's always something that can throw it all out the window. And in a year where the Detroit Red Wings once again moved down in the draft lottery, dropping to Pick 13, they could use that kind of break. With enough talent in the top half of the first round to find a good fit, the Red Wings should get a good player regardless. It helps that their range is particularly rich in skilled wingers, which is one of their top needs. But with a little luck in front of them, and perhaps some creativity, could Detroit benefit from a draft-day surprise? That's what this article is meant to explore, looking at three different scenarios: the (broadly) expected outcome, one way the Red Wings could get a steal, and one path that could entice them to trade up. 1. New York Islanders: Matthew Schaefer, LHD, Erie (OHL) 2. San Jose Sharks: Michael Misa, C, Saginaw (OHL) 3. Chicago Blackhawks: Anton Frondell, C, Djurgårdens (Allsvenskan) 4. Utah Mammoth: Caleb Desnoyers, C, Moncton (QMJHL) 5. Nashville Predators: James Hagens, C, Boston College (NCAA) 6. Philadelphia Flyers: Porter Martone, RW, Brampton (OHL) 7. Boston Bruins: Jake O'Brien, C, Brantford (OHL) 8. Seattle Kraken: Roger McQueen, C, Brandon (WHL) 9. Buffalo Sabres: Brady Martin, C, Soo (OHL) 10. Anaheim Ducks: Radim Mrtka, RHD, Seattle (WHL) 11. Pittsburgh Penguins: Kashawn Aitcheson, LHD, Barrie (OHL) 12. New York Rangers: Jackson Smith, LHD, Tri-City (WHL) For the chalk scenario here, I mainly used the results of The Athletic's latest staff mock draft — with one exception. As much as the Rangers could use a young center in their pipeline, I think the better value at 12 would be with Smith, a 6-foot-4 left-handed defenseman with real upside who should go right in this range. Defense is still a premium position worthy of the 12th pick, and New York could use more young blueliners, especially if it trades K'Andre Miller. Advertisement Odds are, not every center listed above will stick at the position in the NHL, but they all at least have a chance to. Seeing so many centers and defensemen going in the top 12 wouldn't be a surprise with how hard it is to find top players at those positions outside the top of the draft. But because Detroit has done well to stockpile centers and blueliners with its own early picks in recent years, the Red Wings are well suited to take a winger who slips as the premium positions fly off the board. The pick: Victor Eklund, LW, Djurgårdens (Allsvenskan) Earlier in this draft cycle, Eklund still being on the board at 13 would have qualified as a steal — and you could still argue that it is, with the tenacious Swede rated the eighth-best player in the class by both Corey Pronman and Scott Wheeler. He's a speedy winger with great goal-scoring ability, which he's proven translates against men. You can't quite call it a perfect fit. Eklund is a smaller winger (5-11, 169 pounds) and a right-hand shot, and Detroit is arguably over-leveraged on both traits. But it's hard to argue with Eklund's talent, and his competitiveness (and track record in a European pro league) certainly tracks with the Red Wings' M.O. Perhaps more importantly, Eklund's speed, skill and scoring ability would add more of a dynamic element to Detroit's system. This would be a great chance to pounce on a potential top-line forward. If Smith makes it to 13, it would be a good debate between his upside as a potential top-four, two-way defenseman and Eklund — or even one of the other top forwards, such as Carter Bear, Justin Carbonneau, Cole Reschny and Lynden Lakovic. But if things go as expected in the top 12, I keep coming back to Eklund as the choice. 1. Islanders: Schaefer 2. San Jose: Misa 3. Chicago: Frondell 4. Utah: Desnoyers 5. Nashville: O'Brien 6. Philadelphia: Martin 7. Boston: Hagens 8. Seattle: Martone 9. Buffalo: Mrtka 10. Anaheim: Eklund 11. Pittsburgh: Smith 12. Rangers: Aitcheson Advertisement There's one obvious name missing from the group of 12 above Detroit here. McQueen was confident enough in his recovery from a back injury to participate in fitness testing at the NHL Combine, which is a good sign. He discussed the issue being 'past' him, and if team doctors agree with that assessment, it's very hard to envision a 6-5 center with his skill set lasting to the 13th pick on draft day. But he's still an 18-year-old who has already experienced a back injury, and that's something teams will have to weigh when it comes time to actually pick him. With lots of other centers and defensemen high in the draft, maybe that introduces just enough doubt to sway some decisions against him in that No. 6-12 range — leaving a rare young talent on the board. The pick: McQueen Of course, Detroit's own doctors would need to be on board here, which is not a given, especially because this scenario requires some hesitation from other teams that would presumably have the same information. But McQueen's upside as a skilled, big-bodied center who can skate is immense. That would make this a risk worth taking for the Red Wings to get the kind of talent the draft lottery has seldom afforded them a swing at. Pronman compared him to Quinton Byfield, who went second in the 2020 draft. He would also give the Red Wings a ton of future options with their center group, which already includes Dylan Larkin, Marco Kasper and Nate Danielson. Larkin is soon to be 29, and if McQueen hits, it would take some pressure off of Kasper to grow into a No. 1 center as Larkin ages. It would also open up the possibility of moving someone to the wing down the line, while still having enviable center depth. That said, if teams are confident in McQueen's back, it's hard to imagine this one coming to fruition. It would take a lot of things going Detroit's way. But you never know for sure, especially when there are injury questions this high in a draft. Advertisement 1. Islanders: Schaefer 2. San Jose: Misa 3. Chicago: Frondell 4. Utah: Desnoyers 5. Nashville: Martin 6. Philadelphia: Hagens 7. Boston: McQueen 8. Seattle: Mrtka 9. Buffalo: Martone Let's get this out of the way first: Teams picking in the top 10 rarely trade down. That being said, we did see Buffalo move back a few spots (from 11 to 14) last year, at the cost of a second-round pick, so it's also not impossible. In this scenario, there's a heavy run on centers in the top seven, with the Kraken deviating from the trend and taking Mrtka. O'Brien and Martone are highly talented forwards whose skill and size could fit the still-building Kraken, but Seattle has taken forwards with its first-round pick in all four drafts in franchise history. At some point, you'd think the Kraken would opt for a blueliner, and maybe that happens this year. If it does, Buffalo would be sitting pretty at No. 9, getting to pick between two big playmakers in Martone and O'Brien. O'Brien has the center factor going for him, but the potential physicality from Martone would be something the Sabres' highly skilled prospect pool lacks. So in this scenario, they take the 6-3 winger. Anaheim could very easily take whichever of the two falls to 10, of course. But you can argue the Ducks are pretty well-stocked with both playmakers and responsible centers and could use more of an up-tempo scorer to complement Leo Carlsson, Mason McTavish, Beckett Sennecke, Trevor Zegras and Cutter Gauthier in their young core (though Gauthier is certainly a scorer). The Ducks also have a pair of extremely promising young LHD in Jackson Lacombe and Pavel Mintyukov, which means that side of the blue line isn't a glaring need. Could that put a trade-up in play? In that scenario, Anaheim would drop back a few spots, add an asset on the right side of the blue line via the trade and target a scoring winger such as Eklund, Carbonneau, Bear or Lakovic with Pick 13. The deal: Detroit trades Pick 13 and RHD Anton Johansson for Pick 10 The pick: O'Brien Parting with Johansson could sting for Detroit. Watching him in the AHL playoffs (which he jumped right into, having spent the whole year in the SHL), I was actually more impressed by the 6-4 Swede than I was by Grand Rapids Griffins regulars William Wallinder and Shai Buium, both high second-round picks in recent years. He's a smooth skater, he plays with an edge, and he has some offense in his game, too. Advertisement So while Johansson was a fourth-round pick in 2022, I'd put his value in line with a second-rounder, and he's closer to the NHL than a pick would be. If I'm a little off on that valuation, Detroit also has two back-to-back third-rounders (75 and 76) and could also include one of those if needed — though I'd already be hesitant to part with Johansson, who has some serious tools. The draw, though, would be in O'Brien's promise as a 6-2 center with plenty of offensive upside. O'Brien nearly put up 100 points in the OHL this season, finishing at 98 (32 goals, 66 assists) in 66 games. That was good for eighth in the league, and he won't turn 18 until next week. Adding a playmaker of his caliber would be worth the big swing to get him, even if, again, his right-hand shot isn't quite ideal for the Red Wings' forward makeup. Whether Detroit wants to use him as a center or on the wing, the appeal is his skill and brain in a bigger body. That should allow him to create more in the middle of the ice, a key need for the Red Wings. It's not a likely scenario. But if you're looking for something to dream on as the June calendar drags on, this would be one path to a draft-day splash. (Top photo of Jake O'Brien: Dennis Pajot / Getty Images)
