‘I’m not interested in turning him into a checker’: John Tortorella’s plan for Flyers rookie Matvei Michkov
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Greg Wyshynski, ESPN
IT’S THE BIGGEST MYSTERY surrounding the Philadelphia Flyers, one whose answer could make or break their season:
“Can they coexist?”
Can Matvei Michkov, the 19-year-old Russian-born rookie whose offensive dexterity is only eclipsed by his boundless enthusiasm, find harmony with coach John Tortorella, whose legendary adherence to “playing the right way” has seen him bench or scratch young talent when they failed to meet his standards?
“I have no doubt that there’s going to be some fireworks here and there, just like he has with almost every single player,” Flyers general manager Danny Briere predicted. “At the end of the day, Torts is the coach and he’s going to manage him. He’s going to teach him to be a pro. Torts’ goal is to make Matvei the best player he can be.”
The ends may justify the means, but the means can be frustrating for his players. Just ask any player who has received some of Tortorella’s trademark tough love while being deprived of playing time.
While Tortorella is a demanding coach, he’s also a realist. The Flyers were 27th in the NHL in goals per game last season (2.82). Michkov can score goals as well as he can create them for others, hitting the highlight reel with frequency. Tortorella and Michkov connected over the summer to establish expectations for his rookie season.
“I can’t wait to see how he is going to create offense [in the NHL]. I think his brain is pretty special,” Briere said. “We haven’t had this type of player in a long while here.”
Out of offensive necessity — and in defiance of his reputation — Tortorella seems ready to let Michkov be Michkov, for the betterment of the Flyers.
“We are starving for the types of instinctive plays that he can make,” said Tortorella, in his third year coaching in Philadelphia. “I’m not interested in turning him into a checker. We want to lay the foundation. It’s going to take time. But are we going to beat him over the head with it? No.”
The Flyers don’t just need the goals that Michkov can generate. They need the vibes. At least that’s how Tortorella sees it.
Like when Michkov scored his first goal of the preseason into an empty net. He skated over and jumped into the glass near the fans, before enthusiastically hugging his teammates, in what was essentially a practice game.
“He scored an empty-netter in an exhibition game, and it was like it was Game 7,” Tortorella said. “I love that about him. I think it rubs off on the team.”
MICHKOV WAS AN INTERNATIONAL man of mystery heading into the 2023 NHL draft.
Some scouts claimed the winger had the highest talent ceiling outside of No. 1 pick Connor Bedard. But some questioned why Michkov skipped the scouting combine and met with only certain teams, fueling speculation that he was trying to maneuver his way to a specific landing spot — something the player has denied.
There was another wrinkle: Michkov was under contract with SKA St. Petersburg of the Kontinental Hockey League for the next three seasons, meaning that his NHL debut wouldn’t theoretically come until 2026-27.
Undaunted, the Flyers selected him seventh.
“I do have a contract, but I’m hoping as soon as I can get out, I’m going to come here,” Michkov said after being drafted.
“It is what it is,” Briere said at the time. “We know he has a contract for three more seasons. But we just felt after watching him play and meeting him, we felt he’s a talent we can’t pass up. If we have to wait, we’ll wait.”
The wait wasn’t long. Michkov spent one more season in the KHL and then jumped to the NHL this summer.
It was the second high-profile Russian player that Briere’s front office managed to bring over to North America. Goalie Ivan Fedotov, whom the team drafted in 2015, finally arrived with the Flyers last season after a rather circuitous journey. He’s expected to form a goaltending battery with Samuel Ersson this season.
Fedotov put up strong numbers in the KHL and helped the athletes from Russia win Olympic silver in the 2022 Beijing Games. The Flyers signed him in 2022, but Fedotov was reportedly taken by Russian authorities to a remote military base in the Arctic Circle for a year of service, which they claimed he was trying to avoid by going to the NHL.
“The military took him back. So it took a little longer for him,” Briere said.
Philadelphia tolled Fedotov’s NHL contract, assuming that he’d report one year later. Instead, the KHL announced he had signed a two-year contract with CSKA Moscow.
In 2024, after the CSKA Moscow season ended, it was announced that Fedotov’s KHL contract had been terminated, and he joined the Flyers for three games last season.
The Flyers have been guarded about how they managed to get Fedotov and Michkov under contract.
When asked about Michkov specifically, Briere said it was the young standout’s desire to compare his talents with the best in the world.
“You need a willingness from the player as well. Ivan wanted to be here. Matvei wanted to be here,” he said. “Matvei’s so competitive. He wants to show the world that he belongs up there with them.”
Michkov and Fedotov are critical players for the Flyers this season. They’re also products of Russia, entering the NHL at a time when the international hockey community’s relationship with the country is strained.
Russia and Belarus have been banned from the IIHF world championships for three years because of the invasion of Ukraine. The International Olympic Committee will decide about their eligibility for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy by May. In February, the NHL is holding a tournament that features four nations but doesn’t involve Russia, as the league couldn’t figure out how to move forward with another World Cup without its participation.
The focus for the Flyers remains on the ice, according to the GM, where the Flyers are pushing for their first playoff berth since 2020 and their first Stanley Cup since 1975.
The Michkov-Tortorella partnership will be a crucial component to that push.
MICHKOV UNDERSTANDS HOW MUCH buzz surrounds his arrival in Philadelphia. Like when he showed up to training camp and saw dozens of fans already wearing his jersey, which is something he said he’s never experienced before as a player.
The Flyers are doing what they can to temper expectations on Michkov’s first NHL campaign.
“I’m realistic. It’s going to be a tough season for him. This is the best league in the world. It’s a big step. It’s not going to be easy,” Briere said. “So my expectations are actually pretty low. I’m excited to watch him play, but he’s going to have to go through a lot before he’s the player that he expects to be.”
Tortorella has a menu of things Michkov will need to work on as a rookie.
“Shift length is something we’re going to concentrate on with him,” he said. “He hasn’t played 82 games.”
Tortorella drew a comparison between Rangers star Artemi Panarin — whom he coached with the Columbus Blue Jackets — and Michkov, in the way they can quickly accelerate when their team gains possession of the puck.
“It’s funny how you watch a guy like [Panarin], where it might be a little bit of a struggle to get back when you don’t have the puck, and how quickly it comes back when they do have the puck,” the coach said. “Bread is one of the best at it, and I think Mich has a little bit of that.”
Tortorella said there’s a discernible jump in quality of play from exhibition season to the regular season that Michkov will have to handle, and that “situational play” will be one of the biggest learning curves for him.
“I think that’s the key thing when you’re dealing with offensive players. There are certain times in the game when you’ve just got to be simple. You may have to fight another day to make that play,” he said. “That’s something I know we’re going to have to teach him. But I want to let him go. We’re not going to try to stifle him in any way as far as his creativity.”
For all the concerns about the coexistence between Michkov and Tortorella, the coach says he wants to just let him fly.
“You get happy for a 19-year-old kid, coming from overseas, spotlight on him a little bit, and he just goes and plays,” he said. “When I think of myself at that age, there’s not a chance I could be doing the things he’s doing. I was never mature enough. So it’s fun for an older person to look at a young kid enjoying himself and handling the situation like he has.”
John Tortorella, living vicariously through Matvei Michkov. Who knew?
The 2025 MLB All-Star Home Run Derby is fast approaching — and the field is set.
Braves hometown hero Ronald Acuna Jr. became the first player to commit to the event, which will be held at Truist Park in Atlanta on July 14 (8 p.m. ET on ESPN). He was followed by MLB home run leader Cal Raleigh of the Seattle Mariners, James Wood of the Washington Nationals, Byron Buxton of the Minnesota Twins, Oneil Cruz of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Junior Caminero of the Tampa Bay Rays, Brent Rooker of the Athletics and Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the New York Yankees.
On Friday, however, Acuna was replaced by teammate Matt Olson.
With all the entrants announced, let’s break down their chances at taking home this year’s Derby prize.
Full All-Star Game coverage: How to watch, schedule, rosters, more
2025 home runs: 17 | Longest: 434 feet
Why he could win: Olson is a late replacement for Acuna as the home team’s representative at this year’s Derby. Apart from being the Braves’ first baseman, however, Olson also was born in Atlanta and grew up a Braves fan, giving him some extra motivation. The left-handed slugger led the majors in home runs in 2023 — his 54 round-trippers that season also set a franchise record — and he remains among the best in the game when it comes to exit velo and hard-hit rate.
Why he might not: The home-field advantage can also be a detriment if a player gets too hyped up in the first round. See Julio Rodriguez in Seattle in 2023, when he had a monster first round, with 41 home runs, but then tired out in the second round.
2025 home runs: 36 | Longest: 440 feet
Why he could win: It’s the season of Cal! The Mariners’ catcher is having one of the greatest slugging first halves in MLB history, as he’s been crushing mistakes all season . His easy raw power might be tailor-made for the Derby — he ranks in the 87th percentile in average exit velocity and delivers the ball, on average, at the optimal home run launch angle of 23 degrees. His calm demeanor might also be perfect for the contest as he won’t get too amped up.
Why he might not: He’s a catcher — and one who has carried a heavy workload, playing in all but one game this season. This contest is as much about stamina as anything, and whether Raleigh can carry his power through three rounds would be a concern. No catcher has ever won the Derby, with only Ivan Rodriguez back in 2005 even reaching the finals.
2025 home runs: 24 | Longest: 451 feet
Why he could win: He’s big, he’s strong, he’s young, he’s awesome, he might or might not be able to leap tall buildings in a single bound. This is the perfect opportunity for Wood to show his talent on the national stage, and he wouldn’t be the first young player to star in the Derby. He ranks in the 97th percentile in average exit velocity and 99th percentile in hard-hit rate, so he can still muscle the ball out in BP even if he slightly mishits it. His long arms might be viewed as a detriment, but remember the similarly tall Aaron Judge won in 2017.
Why he might not: His natural swing isn’t a pure uppercut — he has a pretty low average launch angle of just 6.2 degrees — so we’ll see how that plays in a rapid-fire session. In real games, his power is primarily to the opposite field, but in a Home Run Derby you can get more cheapies pulling the ball down the line.
2025 home runs: 20 | Longest: 479 feet
Why he could win: Buxton’s raw power remains as impressive as nearly any hitter in the game. He crushed a 479-foot home run earlier this season and has four others of at least 425 feet. Indeed, his “no doubter” percentage — home runs that would be out of all 30 parks based on distance — is 75%, the highest in the majors among players with more than a dozen home runs. His bat speed ranks in the 89th percentile. In other words, two tools that could translate to a BP lightning show.
Why he might not: Buxton is 31 and the Home Run Derby feels a little more like a younger man’s competition. Teoscar Hernandez did win last year at age 31, but before that, the last winner older than 29 was David Ortiz in 2010, and that was under much different rules than are used now.
2025 home runs: 16 | Longest: 463 feet
Why he could win: If you drew up a short list of players everyone wants to see in the Home Run Derby, Cruz would be near the top. He has the hardest-hit ball of the 2025 season, and the hardest ever tracked by Statcast, a 432-foot missile of a home run with an exit velocity of 122.9 mph. He also crushed a 463-foot home run in Anaheim that soared way beyond the trees in center field. With his elite bat speed — 100th percentile — Cruz has the ability to awe the crowd with a potentially all-time performance.
Why he might not: Like all first-time contestants, can he stay within himself and not get too caught up in the moment? He has a long swing, which will result in some huge blasts, but might not be the most efficient for a contest like this one, where the more swings a hitter can get in before the clock expires, the better.
2025 home runs: 23 | Longest: 425 feet
Why he could win: Although Caminero was one of the most hyped prospects entering 2024, everyone kind of forgot about him heading into this season since he didn’t immediately rip apart the majors as a rookie. In his first full season, however, he has showed off his big-time raw power — giving him a chance to become just the third player to reach 40 home runs in his age-21 season. He has perhaps the quickest bat in the majors, ranking in the 100th percentile in bat speed, and his top exit velocity ranks in the top 15. That could translate to a barrage of home runs.
Why he might not: In game action, Caminero does hit the ball on the ground quite often — in fact, he’s on pace to break Jim Rice’s record for double plays grounded into in a season. If he gets out of rhythm, that could lead to a lot of low line drives during the Derby instead of fly balls that clear the fences.
2025 home runs: 19 | Longest: 440 feet
Why he could win: The Athletics slugger has been one of the top power hitters in the majors for three seasons now and is on his way to a third straight 30-homer season. Rooker has plus bat speed and raw power, but his biggest strength is an optimal average launch angle (19 degrees in 2024, 15 degrees this season) that translates to home runs in game action. That natural swing could be picture perfect for the Home Run Derby. He also wasn’t shy about saying he wanted to participate — and maybe that bodes well for his chances.
Why he might not: Rooker might not have quite the same raw power as some of the other competitors, as he has just one home run longer than 425 feet in 2025. But that’s a little nitpicky, as 11 of his home runs have still gone 400-plus feet. He competed in the college home run derby in Omaha while at Mississippi State in 2016 and finished fourth.
2025 home runs: 17 | Longest: 442 feet
Why he could win: Chisholm might not be the most obvious name to participate, given his career high of 24 home runs, but he has belted 17 already in 2025 in his first 61 games after missing some time with an injury. He ranks among the MLB leaders in a couple of home run-related categories, ranking in the 96th percentile in expected slugging percentage and 98th percentile in barrel rate. His raw power might not match that of the other participants, but he’s a dead-pull hitter who has increased his launch angle this season, which might translate well to the Derby, even if he won’t be the guy hitting the longest home runs.
Why he might not: Most of the guys who have won this have been big, powerful sluggers. Chisholm is listed at 5-foot-11, 184 pounds, and you have to go back to Miguel Tejada in 2004 to find the last player under 6 foot to win.
CHICAGO — Chicago White Sox great Paul Konerko got a present from one No. 14 to another in honor of the 20th anniversary of the 2005 World Series championship run: a jersey signed by noted Chicago fan Pope Leo XIV.
Cardinal Blase Cupich, the archbishop of Chicago, presented Konerko a jersey with the new pontiff’s signature on the back during a ceremony prior to the game against the Cleveland Guardians. It had the six-time All-Star’s last name and “Pope Leo” above the No. 14.
Robert Prevost became the first pope from the U.S. in the history of the Catholic Church when he was elected on May 8. The Chicago-born missionary, who took the name Leo XIV, is a White Sox fan.
Prevost attended the 2005 World Series opener against Houston in Chicago. He watched from Section 140, Row 19, Seat 2 as the White Sox beat the Astros 5-3 on the way to a four-game sweep and their first title since 1917.
In May, the team unveiled a graphic installation near the seat paying tribute to Pope Leo and that moment. The pillar artwork features a waving Pope Leo XIV, along with a picture from the TV broadcast of the future pope sitting with good friend Ed Schmit and his grandson, Eddie.
Members of the 2005 team are in Chicago this weekend to celebrate the 20th anniversary of the championship run. The White Sox debuted uniform patches honoring late closer Bobby Jenks, who died last week in Portugal, where he was being treated for stomach cancer. On Friday, the team unveiled a statue of former ace Mark Buehrle.
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