Rick Tocchet has hit the ground running with the Philadelphia Flyers. The NHL coach and former player, who became the Flyers’ 25th head coach on Wednesday, May 14, had his introductory press conference on Friday, May 16. Tocchet reportedly signed a five-year, $26.25-million contract with the Flyers organization.
Rick Tocchet Opens Up About Young Star Matvei Michkov
During the course of the media session, Tocchet was asked about how he would handle young Philadelphia Flyers star Matvei Michkov to become like his former players Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, or Steven Stamkos.
“I’m going to rely on the staff here to help me understand who he is, but just watching, I saw enough where there was a stretch where he scored a bunch of overtime goals and some of the plays he made. He’s got a high-level brain so, hopefully, I can learn from him to help him,” Tocchet said.
“Talking to (Keith) Jonesy and Danny (Briere), he (Michkov) wants to be the best. That’s a good head start right there that I get a guy who wants to be the best. He’s willing to do whatever that’s going to take. I’m very privileged to be able to coach a guy like that. I know the fans already love him here. Let’s see what happens in the next five years with this guy,” he added.
What’s the plan to help Matvei Michkov to a superstar level like Rick Tocchet’s former players Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, or Steven Stamkos?
“That’s a good head start right there that I get a guy who wants to be the best. He’s willing to do whatever (it takes).”
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The 20-year-old Michkov, playing in his first NHL season, had an impressive 26 goals and 37 assists for 63 points in 80 games, averaging 16:41 of ice time. He was one of the rare bright sparks in an abysmal season for the rebuilding Flyers, and signed a three-year, $12.75-million entry-level contract with the organization in July 2024.
Hiring Tocchet seems to be the front office’s next move in returning to the top of the league.
While introducing Tocchet, Philadelphia general manager Danny Briere praised the 61-year-old’s teaching skills.
“We needed a teacher and I think there’s nobody better than Rick to teach our young guys. i saw it firsthand myself when I came in the league as a 19-20-year-old. I had the chance to play with Rick and he was a mentor to myself and I learned a lot from him,”Briere said.
Tocchet spent the first eight and last three years of his NHL playing career with the Flyers. He played alongside Briere from 1999 till his retirement in 2002.
“As a coach or anything in life, you want to check the boxes. So stability, box checked. Relationships, box checked. Passion of, and obviously the area, the fan base, box checked. I’m a big relationship guy. I know just from the past, being here working with good people, I think, makes you successful,” Tocchet said during the press conference.