It only took one game for Matvei Michkov to prove John Tortorella wrong for scratching him

After what felt like an eternity for Philadelphia Flyers fans waiting to see Matvei Michkov, the No. 7 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, play at the NHL level, he was inexplicably taken out of the lineup after just 13 games played.

In those 13 games, the 19-year-old scored four goals and dished out six assists, totaling 10 points. Outside of Travis Konecny, an All Star-caliber player, Michkov had been the team's most productive forward offensively for the 4-8-1 Flyers. Yet, even with Philly struggling, head coach John Tortorella inexplicably made the decision to scratch the prized youngster. Not only did Michkov sit one game entirely, but Tortorella kept him in the press box two games in a row.

Is there some benefit for Michkov sitting and learning while watching his teammates go to work? Absolutely. His defense in particular could use some work. With that being said, though, isn't it more beneficial for a 19-year-old to be on the ice and learn from his mistakes with game reps? It's not as if this Flyers team has Stanley Cup expectations or many players who deserve to enter the lineup over him, anyway.

After Flyers fans had to watch their team play twice without the most entertaining player on the team drawing into the lineup, Michkov finally returned for Monday's game against the San Jose Sharks. It's safe to say he picked up right where he left off.

Matvei Michkov returns to the lineup with a vengeance in win vs. Sharks

How many players on this Flyers team are skilled enough to score on a breakaway like this? Michkov made it look easy, but the answer, outside of Konecny, is just not very many. The Flyers, as their 6-8-2 record shows, lack talent. There's a reason that they rank 24th in offense in the NHL as of this writing, scoring just 2.56 goals per game.

This goal proved to be crucial, as the Sharks would rally late to tie the game and send it to overtime. After neither team scored in the extra session, the game would be decided in a shootout. With a chance to give the Flyers the lead, Michkov didn't disappoint.

He got San Jose goalie Vitek Vanecek to bite on a backhand fake and beat him with his forehand. His celebration did not disappoint either. Konecny would ice the game officially with a goal in the ensuing round to give Philadelphia an important win.

Michkov had a goal and an assist in the victory (plus the shootout goal), giving him five goals and seven assists on the season. Only Konecny has more points, and no other Flyer is even in double digits yet. He's just one point behind Logan Stankoven of the Dallas Stars for the rookie lead in points despite missing the two games that he did, while his five goals lead all rookies.

Michkov was this impactful after being scratched twice and having to appear on the third line of a bad Flyers team. Sure, it's only the Sharks, but again, he's just 19 years old. The sky is the limit for this forward, and it remains inexplicable that he was scratched to begin with. Hopefully, the hard-nosed Tortorella sticks with his rookie even if he makes his share of blunders on the defensive end of the ice. The offensive talent is just too much for the Flyers to not run out there as much as they possibly can.