Larry Henry Jr
Philadelphia Flyers fans are excited about the arrival of Matvei Michkov and Jett Luchanko, and rightfully so.
Both young players made their Flyers debuts on Friday night in a 4-3 overtime loss to the New York Rangers in Allentown. Michkov scored his first goal for the club while Luchanko also impressed after being selected No. 13 overall by the Flyers in the 2024 NHL Draft earlier this year.
Michkov scored on a 5-on-3 power play goal after passes from both Massimo Rizzo and Luchanko helped him slide a shot past Rangers goalie Dylan Garand. The 19-year-old has major potential after previously playing in the KHL and his goal on Friday has Flyers fans excited for a potential NHL debut in the coming months.
“Everybody likes to play a lot, but he’s in great shape, so he can handle it,” Flyers rookies head coach Ian Laperriere said. “He made plays on the power play, 5-on-5, plays out of nothing. That’s a special gift that he has got.
“Just having him on the bench, it’s fun because you can tell he loves the game. He wants to be out there and he was out there quite a bit. He’s 19 years old, we can’t forget. I know there’s a huge buzz around him, around the league, not only in Philly. But he handles it great.”
Get used to this. #LetsGoFlyers pic.twitter.com/Mxq4cfCtnK
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) September 14, 2024
Luchanko, who helped set up Michkov’s goal, isn’t expected to stay with the Flyers this season, but did show promising moments on both ends of the ice. The 18-year-old enjoyed a stellar 2023-24 season with the Guelph Storm in the OHL, contributing 20 goals and 74 points in 68 games.
More junior hockey is on the horizon for the 5-feet-11 Luchanko, but Laperriere is excited for his long-term future with the organization.