It’s been a while since the Philadelphia Flyers have had a star rookie, we’re not used to this. We’re no accustomed to having all the spotlight on a player experiencing so many firsts and riding the rollercoaster of expectations for someone fresh to the NHL.
So, when we see fans panicking about Matvei Michkov’s ice time after every single game; and see the reactions to whenever the 20-year-old has not been on the ice for an extended period of time throughout the game, we have to gain some context. We haven’t really seen it before: A hyped-up prospect who is expected to lead the entire franchise to a new era, deal with the ups and downs of a rookie season.