VOORHEES, N.J. — Trevor Zegras and Matvei Michkov are two players loaded with offensive talent.
They’re known for trying “the Michigan,” a lacrosse style shot that fuels highlight reels.
They’re super creative with the puck and dangerous when they’re in close on the goalie.
So maybe it shouldn’t be surprising that they’ve connected for some friendly competition well after practices.
“He’s the only guy that likes to stay out there with me,” Zegras said Saturday morning. “We play this game, like, you try to hit the crossbar and he hasn’t beaten me yet, so he gets very upset. So usually when we’re out there, we’re playing crossbar.”
Michkov does not like to lose.
“Yeah, he’s not happy,” Zegras said with a smile. “So that’s why we had to do the shootout thing because he can beat me in that.”
Zegras has enjoyed getting to know the young Russian winger. Michkov’s grasp of the English language has improved as he enters Year 2 with the Flyers. The 20-year-old is coming off a highly promising rookie season.
“He’s awesome,” Zegras said. “He’s a great kid. He’s very skilled and he’s very funny, so I enjoy hanging out with him.”
As the Flyers host the Bruins for a preseason game Saturday night, Zegras will play on a line with Michkov and Christian Dvorak. Zegras and Dvorak were offseason additions by the Flyers.
Michkov, who fell to the Flyers at No. 7 in the 2023 draft, is considered a pillar to the club’s rebuild.
“He has got a lot of potential,” Sean Couturier said Thursday. “I think we all know the future of this team is probably going through him. It’s on him to really take the step forward. I think you can see he puts in the extra effort, he’s always one of the last guys on the ice working on his game.
“I think if he keeps wanting to improve and get better, he’ll definitely become a big difference-maker for us. He already is in some ways, but I think he can really kind of elevate his game to another level, as well.”
The Flyers are hoping Zegras and Michkov are significant contributors to their power play, which has struggled mightily over the last four seasons. Three days ago, Rick Tocchet had Michkov at the whiteboard to discuss some strategy.
“We were just talking power play, he goes, ‘Coach, I like the options.’ He goes, ‘I like options, I like options,'” Tocchet said Wednesday. “We had a faceoff play where he had a bunch of options and he wanted to come to me and say he likes it. That’s a good thing. You give a kid like that three or four options, it’s pretty good.”
Tocchet feels he has started to build a relationship with Michkov.
“I want him to come up to me,” the head coach said. “I don’t always have to go up to him. I think that’s the worst part as a coach, is going to a player all the time. You have to build a relationship where he’s comfortable enough to come to me.”
As teammates, Michkov and Zegras seem pretty comfortable together already. The Flyers hope that translates to game action.