Let's be honest, on the excitement level, the Philadelphia Flyers' offseason would have been about a two on a scale of 10 had they not signed dynamic right winger Matvey Mishukov and given him the keys to the team's front door.
No big trades. No 2024 draft picks with can't-miss pedigrees. No big-name free agent signings.
But general manager Danny Briere did It was unexpected when Myshkov, who was generally considered the second-best player in the 2023 draft but slipped to the Flyers at seventh overall for non-hockey reasons, announced he would finish his KHL contract two years early and join the Flyers next season.
Suddenly, what was expected to be a boring, mundane season has turned into must-see hockey.
Alas, the Flyers will still be a mediocre team in 2024-25, but at least a future star will gain valuable experience and learn how to be creative in North America.
Create a buzz
The Myskov signing generated more excitement and buzz than perhaps any Flyers prospect since Eric Lindros made his NHL debut in 1992.
But even Lindros couldn't turn the Flyers into an instant championship contender. Remember that?
Mishukov is 19, turning 20 during his rookie season, just like Lindros was in 1992-93. Playing a completely different style than the much smaller Mishukov, Lindros played as the ultimate power forward in his first season, scoring 41 goals and 75 points.
Still, the Flyers finished with a record of 36 wins, 37 losses, and 11 ties, missing the playoffs, but that team had a much stronger supporting cast than Mischkov's Flyers: As a rookie, Lindros had teammates like Mark Recchi (123 points that season), Rod Brind'am (86 points) and Kevin Dineen (35 goals).
But the Flyers were weak defensively and their goaltending (Tommy Soderstrom and Dominique Roussel are their primary goalies) was shaky.
Philadelphia did not make the playoffs until Lindros' third season with the team.
It wouldn't be surprising to see the same thing happen with the rebuilding Flyers and Mischkov.
Many obstacles
Mishukov's Flyers will be lacking in offensive power and middling in defense, and it remains to be seen how goaltenders Sam Elson and Ivan Fedotov will perform, but both are promising prospects.
So to stay relevant in their playoff hopes, the Philadelphia Flyers will have to rally and outplay teams, just as they did before collapsing late last season.
Mishkov could become a focal point of the attack.
“When he gets the puck in his hands, I think he's going to have not only the fans at Wells Fargo Center but all of the media members jumping out of their seats,” Flyers director of player development Riley Armstrong said earlier this week from the blue line, “so I don't know how long it's going to take him to adjust to the league, but once he gets it down and gets to know his linemates and stuff, I think he's going to be a pretty special player.”
The biggest change will be an NHL rink that's smaller than the one Mishukov saw in Russia's KHL, and Flyers coach John Tortorella knows his talented rookie will be on a learning curve.
“Some of the rinks over there are bigger, some are NHL-sized,” said Armstrong, who played briefly in the KHL in 2010-11. “So I think for him, it's just being in the defensive zone and worrying about that. I think playing with Tolz he'll learn that quickly. And a little board battles. I think the kind of stuff we did in practice (at development camp) would be a good fit for him.”
Mishukov did not attend development camp, so he will have a lot to absorb when regular camp begins in September. By all accounts, he is a quick learner. That, along with his incredible talent, will make watching a Flyers game an event.
Just like when Big E began his career over 30 years ago.
Sam Carcidi writes a weekly column for Philadelphia Hockey Now. He and Jeff Hare are producing a television series called “Bullies,” about the Flyers' glory days..” Mr. Carchidi can be contacted at samcarchidi55@gmail.com.
