Matvei Michkov has been a sensation in his rookie season and the main offensive threat for the Philadelphia Flyers. But he’s also done something off the ice that led to a priceless reaction from head coach John Tortorella.
Matvei Michkov was drafted 7th overall in the 2023 NHL Entry Draft, and that has already proven to be quite the steal for the Flyers.
Michkov had 41 points in 47 games in the KHL last year, and he’s made an immediate impact in his first-ever NHL season. So far, he’s produced 11 goals and 27 assists in 27 games, leading all rookies in points with an eight-point margin.
John Tortorella’s hilarious reaction
But Michkov has also been making headlines off the ice. In this weekend’s game against the Utah HC team, Michkov threw punches at Utah center Barrett Hayton, leading to his ejection from the game.
With only 16 seconds remaining in the game, Michkov, heading for the locker room, took a moment to give a fan a signed Flyers water bottle. The clip of Michkov, seemingly unbothered by his 10-minute misconduct penalty, went viral, though somehow, his head coach missed it.
On Tuesday, John Tortorella was asked about the viral clip of Michkov signing a water bottle and giving it to a fan after getting tossed from the game. But as it turned out, Tortorella had no idea it actually happened. He had to ask the reporters twice for clarification on exactly what happened, and his reaction was absolutely priceless. Just check it out:
It doesn’t get much more classic Torts than that! He’s known for being a bit old-school, but you can’t say anything other than that he’s handled Michkov really well in the Russian’s first season. He’s currently the favorite to win the Calder Trophy, and the Flyers have been a pleasant surprise in the league standings, currently holding a Wild Card spot in the playoffs.
READ MORE: Surveillance videos of Paul Bissonnette’s brawl released
