By nearly everyone else's standards, Michkov's first campaign in North America was among the brightest and most encouraging aspects of the 2024-25 season. Apart from his point production on the ice, Michkov has rapidly begun to pick up the English language (an area where Michkov himself expressed a degree of satisfaction at his progression).
Although he is not yet doing interviews in English, he can carry on basic conversations with teammates and coaches. He also understands most of the questions being asked even before they are translated. Teammates can already see his engaging personality as well as his single-minded and extremely ambitious drive for success.
Michkov's periodic linemate and Bobby Clarke Trophy winner Travis Konecny said that the youngster is sincere in his belief that he can -- and should -- be a dominant force on a consistent basis regardless of his youth.
“I think he’s probably the one guy I’ve played with in my career that he wants to be the best player in the NHL,” Konecny said.
“He believes that he can be and you can’t teach that. That’s just something he wants and he believes in. That’s a powerful thing. If he can continue to figure out how to play on both sides of the puck and help us win games that way too, he’s a really big part of this.”
Flyers General Manager Daniel Briere said that when Michkov arrived at his office for his season debriefing, the young player came prepared. He had a lengthy list of items he wanted to work on to improve for next season.
“I’ve been around a few superstars and he’s got that mindset. He came in and he has a detailed plan of all the things he wants to do and I was actually shocked by how prepared he was for his meeting and what he needed to do and how he wants to conduct himself this summer," Briere said.
"He sees it, he’s extremely intelligent. There’s something special around him. I left the meeting laughing to myself. If he accomplishes half of the stuff he wants to do on his list, we’re in really good shape."
Michkov's goals include sharpening his off-season training program and elevating his conditioning for the grind of an 82-game schedule and compacted stretches of the season. He'd like to add a little more first stride explosiveness. He is also well aware that his off-puck play is still a work in progress.
To the media, Michkov summed it up more generally and simply.
“There were some difficulties, but we’ll work on them,” he said during his media availability.
While sitting with the general manager for his exit day conversation, Michkov did more than just itemize the areas on which he wants to work before the start of next season. He also talked about how he plans to go about it.
Few veterans, even star players, come into a talk with a general manager or head coach as thoroughly prepared as Michkov. For a 20-year-old to go into so much well thought-out and self-aware detail takes an exceptional young person.
Perhaps above all else, Briere is impressed by how Michkov has navigated his first year in an NHL dressing room. He fits in as one of the guys, and yet he also sets himself apart. That's a very delicate balance for any player, much less one with the expectations placed on Michkov (and learning a new language and culture on top of it all).
"When you come in as a superstar trying to fit into a group that’s already kind of looking at you sideways like, ‘Okay here’s the savior coming in.’ It’s not an easy room to walk into. The way he did it and at the same time trying to keep his swagger, he earned the players’ respect with how he carried himself," Briere said.
No matter how high the expectations that others have for Michkov, none are higher than the ones the player places on himself. But he is clearly not one to take success for granted: He is driven to work for it.
Michkov's progression, above all else, was a key takeaway from a difficult 2024-25 season among an ongoing rebuilding process.
