Ex-Canucks coach Tocchet publicly gives young Flyers player the Pettersson treatment
Rick Tocchet’s decision to abandon the Vancouver Canucks in favour of the Philadelphia Flyers is looking like a good choice.
However, that doesn’t mean he’s escaped the ire of Flyers fans.
Although life is rosier in Philadelphia, Tocchet is running into an Elias Pettersson-like situation with one of his young players.
The Flyers are about to enter the Christmas break as one of the best teams in the NHL. After defeating the Canucks 5-2 on Monday night, they sit seventh overall in the league with 43 points.
Philadelphia has accomplished that despite Matvei Michkov’s marginalized role.
On Monday, before their game against the Canucks, Tocchet expressed frustration with the number of questions asked about the former seventh-overall pick in 2023.
He was asked a few questions about his young star, which started with an inquiry about an argument between the two on the bench last week. Tocchet downplayed it, but questions about Michkov kept coming.
That’s when Tocchet decided that he had enough.
āWeāre 17ā10, weāve got a good record,” Tocchet said. “Iāve answered six Michkov questions. I mean, enoughās enough, guys.ā
“You’re trying to make something that it’s not. He’s gotta learn how to play the game, and he’s trying. He’s a lot better defensively, he’s a lot better playing the team game, and that’s how you win hockey.
āItās not about catering to one person. I hate to tell you guys. Thatās it.ā
His frustration with the plethora of questions about Michkov came almost a year to the day that he gave a similar response to questions about Pettersson.
āYou guys are obsessed with Petey, huh? Itās Petey, Petey, Petey every game,ā Tocchet told Canucks media last year.
āI know what youāre saying. I love you guys, but it gets oldā¦ I know you want me to say the wrong thing. Thatās why. Iām not falling for that trap anymore.ā
His frustration towards Flyers reporters for their Michkov questions seemed even more hostile than the Pettersson response from last December.
Still, this is the second straight season in which Tocchet has grown weary of questions about a young, star player.
Even though Tocchet doesn’t want to continue answering questions about Michkov, Flyers fans seem to agree with the line of queries from the media in Philadelphia.
“Why is he so angry if reporters have questions about Michkov?” one fan asked. “The fans want to know.”
“Iām done with Tocchet,” another fan commented. “His handling of Michkov in the media has been horrible. There was no reason for him to get upset there during those questions.”
The 21-year-old scored against the Canucks on Monday, but he still played just 13:27 overall. That was the third-lowest among all Flyers forwards. Even 20-year-old rookie Denver Barkley and journeyman fourth-line centre Rodrigo Abols played more against Vancouver.
Michkov’s diminished role isn’t anything new for the Flyers, as his average ice time of 14:41 per game ranks ninth among regular Philadelphia forwards this season.