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Fatvei Michkov: Now We’ve Got Reporting on Body Fat Percentage and Strength Training
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Lost in the hubbub of the Matvei Michkov and Rick Tocchet drama was a Flyers win, 4-2 at home against the Caps on Tuesday night. They’re now on 60 points and seven back from the Islanders for a playoff spot with one game remaining before the Olympic break.
After the win, The Athletic (now with ads) published a Kevin Kurz story titled ‘Rick Tocchet wants Matvei to succeed’: The latest on Michkov’s complicated season. Included is some information about Fatvei’s body fat and attempt to get in shape:
…it’s now February. How is Michkov’s conditioning still an issue?
Multiple team sources have indicated that now, even months after his slow training-camp start, the Flyers believe Michkov still may not be able to do the things he needs to do from a physical standpoint — on a regular enough basis — to earn a larger role. Whereas last season he was routinely able to absorb hits along the wall or in scrums in the corner, and emerge from those scrums with the puck, for example, the thought is that he now struggles with that because his strength is lower than it should be.
Throughout the early part of training camp and the regular season, Michkov’s cardio levels were what needed primary attention. His body fat percentage when camp opened also was concerning to the team. With the help of a nutritionist provided by the Flyers, Michkov lost the needed weight, which was step one. As a result, though, he wasn’t able to properly strength train until more recently, which is what will help him play his style of game, considering he is never going to be a blazing-fast skater.
For what it’s worth, Michkov played 15:54 on Tuesday night. Second highest total he’s logged going back to the Rangers game on a few Saturdays ago. He had the secondary assist on the Flyers’ opening goal, a nice cross-ice pass after circling behind the net and showing some patience.
The funny thing is that this faction of pro-Michkov Flyers fans is ready to break into the press box, grab Kurz, and dunk his head in the toilet. They think he’s shilling for the team and has some sort of anti-Michkov thing going on, which is deserving of a swirly. It’s very combative, but entertaining.
Trying to sort through this thing in a more pragmatic way, Michkov had the ankle injury, didn’t work out over the summer, came into camp out of shape, and was behind schedule. That much we know, and there’s nothing to relitigate there. As we try to “advance the story,” we wonder why he’s still not fit after five months, and question the narrative that you can’t get into shape during the course of a season, which makes no sense. There are guys who get injured, rehab the injury, get themselves fit, and find their way back onto the ice with no problems. The way it’s explained in this story, Fatvei had to first lose weight (nutrition and cardio), but was then scrawny as a result and therefore had not been able to lift.
If we accept that at face value, the question remains – why is this taking so long? It should not take nearly half a year to get a 21-year-old in game shape. This is his full-time job. He does not have to drop his kids off at daycare and pick them up. He doesn’t work a 9 to 5 cubicle job. He has a clear path to hockey focus, and perhaps it’s something that clicks with him as he understands what it takes to be a pro. There’s a level of commitment and focus required to perform at this level, which is what the Flyers are trying to instill in him.
That being said, you and I could build a fitness plan for Michkov that takes into account games, travel, recovery, practice, and training restrictions. Enough with these hardasses on Twitter who “played college hockey” and act like you gotta be in the 99th percentile of CrossFit competitors to get 18 fucking minutes of ice time. We get it; you think your sport is the most demanding. Everybody thinks their sport is the most demanding, which is why these opinions don’t matter. Take a number and get in line.
The way people are talking about this, you’d think it was some Zhaire Smith situation, like Michkov almost died from a nut allergy and lost a million pounds, wound up in the hospital, and had to start from scratch. The guy has played 786:31 this year. He hasn’t exactly been sucking oxygen on the bench with Linval Joseph’s mask. That’s why people are getting all worked up about this.
Best case scenario, Michkov finishes strong after a needed Olympic break. Then we take some momentum into his third season and make this a footnote of the past.
— Sébastien B. BRYCE PICKFORD #1 FAN (@LaneLaineDemidv) February 4, 2026
Kevin has been writing about Philadelphia sports since 2009. He spent seven years in the CBS 3 sports department and started with the Union during the team's 2010 inaugural season. He went to the academic powerhouses of Boyertown High School and West Virginia University. email - k.kinkead@sportradar.com