Flyers Got This Right: Grebenkin, Zegras, Michkov Have Changed the Vibe
(Philadelphia Flyers/X)
The Flyers have felt different all preseason. They’re playing with a cleaner structure, making faster decisions, and there feels like there is real competition for jobs. Rick Tocchet set the bar, and the locker room has met it.
Trevor Zegras and Matvei Michkov clicked in drills and in games. They are endlessly entertaining in various clips that the Flyers’ social media team has been posting. Nikita Grebenkin has been showing up in the right spots.
The results have been mixed so far, but one thing is for certain: the vibe doesn’t lie. This camp looked like a team building toward something real, and becoming a unit before our eyes.
Grebenkin is the headline for that identity shift so far. He plays direct hockey, wins battles, and presses hard to get to the right places. I think it’s safe to say that Tocchet sees himself in Grebenkin. He looks like the prototype for what Tocchet wants in a winger, someone who can not only survive in scrums but thrive and still make plays. The Flyers aren’t trying to be pretty; they’re trying to be hard to play against, and Grebenkin fits that mold.
The physical is there, he’s 6-2 and around 210 lbs, again, sounds like someone we know. He has reach, leverage, and enough hands to finish on loose pucks. He was a fifth-rounder at 135th overall, then came over in the Scott Laughton deal, which looks smarter by the day. New team, new coach, new role, and a clean slate. Philly got bigger and meaner on the wing without giving up the chance to grow offense, which tracks with their plan this offseason.
Most importantly, Tocchet knows exactly what he’s looking at. He called Grebenkin a “sticky” player, the kind who digs pucks out of corners and keeps plays alive, which is surely needed for the Flyers. Grebenkin earned looks with veterans and proved that he’s not afraid of the moment. That spoke volumes to where he is in his development. You don’t ride shotgun with Sean Couturier and Travis Konecny in camp unless the coaches believe you can hang.
If Grebenkin brings the weight, Zegras and Michkov bring the spark. The two young forwards have been seen laughing through skill drills and staying on the ice long after practice ends. Zegras even said, “He’s the only guy that likes to stay out there with me.” That kind of chemistry is rare, especially this early; these guys look like they’ve been line-mates since juniors.
It’s already showing up in games. In their preseason home debut, Zegras scored and assisted while linking seamlessly with Michkov. Plays develop naturally between them, which is rare — Zegras draws defenders, Michkov finds space, and the puck finds its way back to Zegras’ stick, almost as if second nature.
That Zegras shootout winner in the preseason finale was an absolute chef’s kiss. Michkov had a beautiful assist to Travis Konecny in that game. For a fan base starved for creativity, it’s the kind of duo they’ve been dreaming about — a young duo that plays disciplined hockey, but still looks like they’re having fun.
Zegras needed a change of scenery after a bumpy stretch in Anaheim, and this preseason is showing that he not only appreciates the new city and team, but also a coach he gets along with. Michkov is coming off a standout rookie year and has the skill to match Zegras’ vision and creativity. Together, they give the Flyers a potential scoring line with years of runway. If they keep pushing each other off the ice, this isn’t a pre-season experiment; it’s a long-term plan.
This is what we’ve wanted and have been waiting for, and the entertainment value of these two on the ice is great, but if you haven’t watched it yet, check out their crossbar challenge and tell me you don’t see Claude Giroux and Jakub Voracek‘s levels of chemistry there.
Put it all together, and the picture is simple. Grebenkin looks like a Tocchet forward who can win battles on the boards and live in front of the net. Michkov and Zegras look like a line that can score in bunches and fix the power play. I am so excited to see these guys with a man advantage together. That’s why this preseason has felt so promising, not because of an arbitrary record in September, but because the pieces finally fit. I can see the vision, which has been hard to see recently.
Now give Grebenkin his spot, keep this dynamic duo together, and let it run a bit. We’ve been waiting, and this is the kind of mixing of grit and creativity Flyers fans have been waiting for.
One thing is for certain: this Flyers squad is going to be a problem, and definitely not a team anyone will be looking forward to playing this season.
Steve Hamilton
Steve may have been born in California, but don’t let that fool you. After dating a local woman and clashing with her and her family over sports for decades, he has an affinity for Philly sports. Balancing love for Philly and Bay Area sports teams may seem impossible, we can all agree that the Cowboys are the true evil.
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