Flyers drafting Matvei Michkov shows commitment to rebuild
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Flyers of yesteryear don't make this pick. Ryan Leonard would have donned the orange and black because his hard-nosed style fits perfectly with the image of what a Philadelphia Flyer looks like. This is no disrespect to Ryan Leonard.
Matvei Michkov represents something new, perhaps a darker shade of orange that still pays homage to the past.
By drafting Michkov, general manager Danny Briere backed up with actions what this new Flyers leadership group claimed during their May introductory news conference. This is a new era of Flyers hockey.
The Flyers are openly in a rebuild. Through past deeds, it's reasonable for any fan to be skeptical to buy in this early. Actions always speak louder than words, and results are ultimately the judge, jury and executioner.
So far, the Flyers' actions should earn them some buy-in from the skeptics.
This won't be a quick fix, and for once, the Flyers are being honest about it. Flyers governor Dan Hilferty said in May this will be a "multi-year process." Briere, president of hockey operations Keith Jones and head coach John Tortorella have echoed that sentiment.
In years past, the Flyers have "retooled" -- sometimes aggressively -- and were "always trying to win." They avoided the word "rebuild" like it was he who must not be named. It never worked out.
Times have changed. The new front office is open about the dire reality it faces. Former Flyers or not, Briere and Jones have shown they're not the same old guard.
Briere truly began the roster turnover with the Ivan Provorov trade. Kevin Hayes was traded to the Blues, and even if it was an underwhelming return, it wasn't about that. There will likely be more to come.
No one knows how long the rebuild will last. It will require player development and some luck along the way -- neither has exactly been associated with the Flyers in the past.
The Flyers haven't publicly put a timeline on the rebuild, but a fair estimate would be at least three seasons.
Which aligns with when Michkov could come over from Russia.
Michkov is signed for three more seasons with SKA St. Petersburg of the KHL.
In a TV interview after drafting Michkov, Briere said the Flyers "can't wait to have that answer ourselves" when asked when Michkov will play for the orange and black.
"It is what it is. We know he has got a contract for three more seasons," Briere said. "But for us we just felt after watching him play and after meeting him, we just felt it's a talent that we cannot pass up and if we have to wait, we'll wait."
The Flyers will wait for Michkov, and they'll wait to finally do this rebuild right.
They're asking fans to wait, and that's a big ask. But Philadelphia sports fans -- sports fans in general -- will embrace a rebuild if their teams are honest about it. The Process is an example of that.
Through their actions in the early stages, the Flyers have built a little bit of rope.
Fans should give it to them.
