The first on-ice session of Flyers rookie camp was different this time around, and everyone could tell.
Ian Laperrière sat down for his press conference after practice and pointed out that there were more cameras at the back of the media room than he had seen in the three camps prior.
And among a crowd of people surrounding the glass during Thursday morning's first skate over in Voorhees, Flyers fan Paul Tajkowsi stood there watching the team's prospects zip by while in a No. 39 jersey that he had been waiting for more than a year to finally break out – and he wasn't the only one.
Matvei Michkov, the 19-year old phenom out of Russia who has become the face of the Philadelphia Flyers' future, was on the ice at the team's training center, and, for the first time, fans finally got to see him.
The hype was real.
"You can tell he wants to be a difference maker," Laperrière, the former Flyers enforcer turned Lehigh Valley Phantoms head coach, said of Michkov. "I know it's one practice, but I'm impressed."
"You can definitely see some of the creativity out there," Tajkowsi said as the noise of skates carving and pucks crashing echoed through the rink. "I've been to past camps, I remember all the hype about [Ivan Provorov] and [Travis Konecny] when they were coming through. I mean, there was obviously the hype there, there was a lot of excitement, but just being able to see some of the creativity that [Michkov] already has, it has me real excited for when he comes out here with all the NHL guys."
Until then, Michkov was paired up with Jett Luchanko, this past summer's first-round pick by the Flyers at 13th overall, for the early run of drills, and the two tore straight through them.
High speed, nifty moves, slick passes, and pinpoint shots that found twine, Thursday was the first small glimpse at it all from, hopefully, what are the next two pieces to the Flyers' core.
Nick Tricome/PhillyVoice
Matvei Michkov during drills on the first day of Flyers rookie camp in Voorhees on Thursday, Sept. 12, 2024.
"Obviously, he's an unbelievable player," Luchanko said of Michkov after practice. "It's really cool to share the ice with him," with a hint that they might stick together on Friday for the exhibition against the New York Rangers' prospects up in Allentown.
"Well, we all have bosses," Laperrière quipped of who came up with the pairing. "So I won't take the blame or the credit, but even just another guy, Jett, he's impressive. He's got the right name because he flies out there."
Though having just turned 18 late last month, and coming out of the Canadian junior Ontario Hockey League, Luchanko likely still has a few years of development before the Flyers are a possibility.
Michkov, who came in from Russia's pro Kontinental Hockey League after putting up numbers that stood up with Artemi Panarin and Alex Ovechkin before their respective jumps to North America, is already set to head straight to the NHL –Laperrière even cracked that he won't be coaching Michkov in the AHL this season, "I'll put money on that."
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The promising right winger still has to prove himself, but everything about him points to a star in the making, even if it'll take a bit of time.
"Quick hands," Laperrière said specifically. "We saw that on video. It's the same thing, but when you see it live, it's even more impressive.
"Not to go back, but like you know, everybody's got so much expectation on the kid, but it's a different league. The NHL is the NHL, rookie camp is rookie camp. He's going to be great, he's going to be fine, but my point is it's going to take time. I don't care who you are, you don't jump into the NHL and dominate. It's the best league in the world for a reason, but one day, even last week when I was here watching him on the ice, it's impressive. To be 19 years old, that young and that skilled, he's got a bright future in front of him."
Everyone can tell.
"I remember in May when that first news dropped coming out of Russia, that there should be some news pretty soon," Tajkowsi recalled of when the rumors started that Michkov was coming over. "Right away, I was beyond excited…I didn't get to live through the Lindros era, so for me, this is a whole new experience.
"It's amazing to finally have someone like this as a fan."
And Michkov took notice on Thursday, of his and all the other 39 jerseys already in the crowd.
Michkov is still working on his English, so he had translator Max Kuznetsov with him for his post-practice presser. But when he got asked about the support fans have already shown, the 19-year old was able to answer directly.
"Unbelievable," Michkov said.
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