The Philadelphia Flyers have one sole accountability in the event that they wish to win a championship sometime, and that’s to make rookie Matvei Michkov’s life simpler. He’s their future; the engine that can assist them run.
This season, Michkov has 16 factors in 19 video games, making him the NHL’s top-scoring rookie. That’s regardless of a largely ineffective Flyers offense. Scoring has been a problem for the Orange and Black, which is one thing that has even utilized to when Michkov is on the ice. Fortunately, there was one participant who has helped the rookie function at peak offensive effectivity: Travis Konecny.
Konecny-Michkov Duo Brings the Finest Out of the Flyers
Although they haven’t performed collectively a ton (85:07 of ice time at 5-on-5, which is 35.12 p.c of Michkov’s utilization), the Konecny and Michkov duo has been one of many Flyers’ finest. The defensive play is a piece in progress, however they’ve supplied offensive upside that the opposite gamers on the roster merely haven’t been in a position to. Their numbers in comparison with the workforce averages are the next (by way of Pure Stat Trick):
| Stat (5-on-5) | Michkov and Konecny | Flyers’ Crew Common |
| Corsi For Per 60 (CF/60) | 66.25 | 52.98 |
| Pictures For Per 60 (SF/60) | 32.42 | 26.04 |
| Anticipated Targets For Per 60 (xGF/60) | 3.13 | 2.22 |
| Targets For Per 60 (GF/60) | 2.82 | 2.12 |
Whether or not it’s shot makes an attempt, precise pictures, anticipated objectives, or precise objectives, the Flyers are doing considerably higher with the one-two punch of Konecny and Michkov than with out them. For the rookie specifically, having somebody with the juice Konecny does by his aspect has been very useful.
Michkov has solely been on the ice for seven objectives at 5-on-5, and 4 of them have come within the ice time he has shared with Konecny. Possibly they need to be taking part in collectively extra typically—it has maximized the potential of each gamers.
What makes Konecny and Michkov so potent is their capacity to make performs. The Flyers have been unable to do this successfully this season, exemplified by being one of many worst groups in all main offensive statistics. However with these two on the ice, and particularly collectively, issues have clicked. As an alternative of being caught in low-event video games and taking part in far an excessive amount of within the defensive zone, the Konecny-Michkov mixture has allowed for the Orange and Black to be greater than only a punching bag at 5-on-5.
When Michkov will get the puck, good issues occur. The difficulty has been the Flyers’ incapacity to get him the puck, losing his shifts by caving him within the defensive zone. With Konecny, these struggles have been minimized or outright vanished. There isn’t a greater full-time companion right here than him.
This Is How you can Maximize Konecny’s Contract
I made my stance on Konecny’s $70 million extension by his age-35 season fairly clear in the course of the summer season. Like most eight-year contracts for gamers nearing their late 20s, it’s a payday for the participant of as we speak and never the participant of the longer term. For a workforce in a rebuild, signing a contract for short-term upside didn’t make sense to me. In idea, the worst years of that contract will probably be when Michkov enters his prime (once more, that is how most of those signings go).
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Now, nonetheless, I understand that’s a slender evaluation. The potential for Konecny’s recreation hitting a wall as soon as he will get up there in age didn’t vanish in a single day, however the relevance of this has taken a success. Frankly, it doesn’t matter whether or not or not his recreation holds up in the course of the deal. Why? He’s the one non-Michkov offensive menace on the roster.
This season has been a disappointment for lots of the Flyers’ forwards. Per 60 minutes, the Flyers are among the many six worst groups within the league in shot makes an attempt, pictures on aim, anticipated objectives, and high-danger probabilities at 5-on-5. Producing a lot of something on offense has been a problem, and it has led to a regression in scoring for a variety of gamers who had been meant to assist Michkov alter to the NHL.
Michkov has spent 58.34 p.c of his whole ice time with Owen Tippett, Joel Farabee, Morgan Frost, and Tyson Foerster. The issue? Final season, these 4 mixed for 83 objectives and 177 factors (1.01 objectives and a pair of.16 factors per workforce recreation). This season, they’ve simply 12 objectives and 29 factors (0.57 objectives and 1.38 factors per workforce recreation). Targets and factors apart, the attention take a look at suggests their declines are simply as extreme. Spending a majority of his ice time with gamers who’re actively snakebitten and returns to kind being removed from assured, what was purported to be a superb state of affairs for Michkov hasn’t been.
Like a guardian angel, Konecny has made it his responsibility to make Michkov a greater hockey participant. It’s been a irritating season for the Orange and Black, particularly relating to their rookie sensation. Certain, he’s the league’s prime rookie scorer, however his underwhelming three factors at 5-on-5 are notable. This is because of a mix of dangerous luck and, extra importantly, being unable to mesh along with his different linemates. When Konecny and Michkov have been on the market collectively, it’s been the exact opposite.
His contract may not appear like a cut price by the point it’s over. It may even be purchased out (simply ask Daniel Brière, the man who handed it out). However none of that issues, as Konecny is a participant who Michkov actually wants proper now. Within the early phases of his NHL profession, being assured and having clutch moments can go a good distance. To date, Konecny has assisted on each of Michkov’s heroic extra time tallies. The massive contract hasn’t even began but, however the best way it may repay is clear.
Maybe it could be time to make a Konecny and Michkov duo a staple within the lineup. The Flyers have principally prevented that connection for lengthy stints, however that would change based mostly on their encouraging chemistry.
