’Enough is enough’: Rick Tocchet sounds off after latest questions about Matevi Michkov’s usage

In mid-October, Flyers coach Rick Tocchet said the quiet part out loud.

“I know he’s the lightning rod for everybody around here,” he said of Matvei Michkov.

A talented offensive player, the recently turned 21-year-old Russian, who arrived in North America two years earlier than expected, led the Flyers — and all NHL rookies — with 26 goals and finished second on the team with 63 points last season. He also won the league’s rookie of the month award twice, becoming the first Flyer in 30 years to do so.

But this season, Michkov has struggled to find that spark with 19 points (eight goals, 11 assists) in 34 games. He has also taken several unnecessary penalties and seen his ice time decrease from 16 minutes, 41 seconds last season to 14:43 this year.

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Although Natural Stat Trick has the Flyers with 51.74% of the shot attempts when Michkov is on the ice — tops on the team — and an expected goal-share of 53.6%, which is No. 2 among players who have played at least five games, he has struggled defensively and shown a tendency to cherry-pick at times.

As Tocchet said, he is a lightning rod, so, of course, he is often a topic of conversation.

On Saturday, the television broadcast caught Michkov, Tocchet, and assistant coach Jaroslav “Yogi” Svejkovský having an animated conversation on the bench. The conversation appeared to happen right after Michkov drew a minor penalty when New York Rangers winger Will Cuylle cross-checked him from behind.

“It happens all the time. It’s not Mich, it’s just a story, because it’s Mich. It wasn’t even an argument. It was about when he should switch, and not with [Denver] Barkey. And he’s getting it, when to switch and when not to on the power play,” Tocchet said, although it’s not clear if he meant to say power play as he did appear to stop himself, and the Flyers were heading to their first power play of the game.

“But that was all. He was just getting frustrated on when to switch and when he shouldn’t switch. I know it’s a lot of media people like to let him do what he wants. But there’s a time to switch and when not to switch, and that’s really what it comes down to.”

It is worth noting that Michkov and Barkey picked up assists on Travis Sanheim’s power-play goal directly following the Russian’s animated conversation with Tocchet.

Michkov has five assists in December but does not have a goal this month. A follow-up question asked the bench boss about Michkov having the right attitude but getting frustrated when he’s not scoring.

“Guys who want to score goals get frustrated, but you can’t let it affect your overall game,” Tocchet said. “You’ve got to continue to go to the spots, you keep going to the middle, keep getting to that slot area when you already have two guys down low, like — don’t go behind the net — like things like that.

“He’s just got to stay with it, because he’ll get those chances. He had some chances against the Rangers. ... Now he’s got [to] play a little faster and separate himself. That’s what it comes down to. You can’t get frustrated, and just keep working.”

Barkey and Michkov switched one time before the bench interaction. It came with 11:49 left in the first period, and it occurred after Rangers goalie Igor Shesterkin froze the puck. So was it about switching shifts and the short shifts by Michkov that have been discussed recently?

“We tell our players, when you’re tired, get off. So if he’s tired after 20 seconds, get off. I don’t know. I don’t know what you want me to say. Yeah, he’s getting enough shifts. He’s coming off short because sometimes he’s tired. I don’t know what the big deal of that is,” Tocchet snapped.

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The fourth question about Michkov noted that Tocchet and the Russian winger were seen speaking before practice. Does the coach like that he’s willing to work on things, showing his sheer competitiveness?

“We’re 17-10[-7], we have a good record. I’ve answered six Michkov questions. I mean, enough is enough,” Tocchet said.

“We’ve got [Dan] Vladař having a great year. [Jamie] Drysdale is playing really good five-on-five for us. [Cam York’s] doing a really good job. We’ve got a lot of other players playing good and a team game.

“I mean, this is the fifth question. I appreciate it, but you’re trying to make something that it’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, and that’s how you win hockey. It’s not about catering to one person. I hate to tell you guys. That’s it."

Goalie Aleksei Kolosov was sent back to Lehigh Valley of the American Hockey League on Monday morning. Vladař (upper-body injury) and Christian Dvorak (lower-body injury), who both missed Saturday’s game against the Rangers, were at the team’s morning skate. Tocchet expects Dvorak to play, but said Vladař is a game-time decision. ... Barkey will make his Xfinity Mobile Arena debut on Monday against the Vancouver Canucks (7:30 p.m., NHLN, NBCSP). ... Defenseman Noah Juulsen and forwards Garnet Hathaway and Nic Deslauriers are expected to be healthy scratches.