Report: Flyers Held Secret Meeting Before Michkov Blowup
On Thursday’s episode of 32 Thoughts: The Podcast, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman revealed that Flyers players had recently tried to work through some of the tension with their young star before things boiled over in Vancouver earlier this week.
“Over the last 24 hours, I heard some crazy stories about the relationship between Michkov and his teammates,” Friedman said.
According to Friedman, “there was a recent get-together, meal, whatever, between some of the players including Michkov to work on this.”
He described it as a real effort to bring the group together.
“Let’s hold hands, kumbaya, work together, be a team,” Friedman said.
Team Dinner Didn’t Fix It
It didn’t take long for that effort to unravel.
During the second period of Monday’s 3-1 win over the Canucks, Michkov and veteran defenseman Nick Seeler got into a heated exchange on the bench that was caught on camera.
“I think they did something recently to all pull together, and then this happened,” Friedman said.
Friedman suggested the blowup may have partly come from Seeler’s frustration that the get-together hadn’t produced the compromises the group was hoping for.
Earlier in that game, Seeler had tapped his stick for a pass on a play where Michkov instead took the shot himself.
David Pagnotta: Re Matvei Michkov: He would prefer a change of scenery is probably the best wording for it; similar to Simon Edvinsson; this scenario is likely trending in a very similar direction - ON Everyday (11/11)
— NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) November 13, 2026
The day after the incident, ESPN’s Kevin Weekes reported that Michkov “would likely want a new start elsewhere.”
ESPN’s Emily Kaplan added that “sources said there has been turmoil behind the scenes between Michkov and the Flyers.”
Friedman had already said earlier in the week that the issues go beyond one bench argument.
“It’s clear there is an issue between Michkov and his teammates,” Friedman said. “There are issues there between him and some of the other players. The Flyers might have to clear some bodies out.”
Flyers Still Insist He Stays
Publicly, everyone in Philadelphia is downplaying all of it.
Flyers GM Daniel Briere said that the team has “never discussed” trading Michkov, and the Flyers have said he hasn’t formally requested a trade.
Head coach Rick Tocchet flatly said the report was “not true” and referred to Weekes as a “blogger.”
Michkov himself brushed off the incident with Seeler ahead of Wednesday’s game in Edmonton.
“This is an emotional game,” Michkov said. “Everybody wants to win. Seels is an emotional guy. All the guys are hungry for wins, and on the bench, too. When guys are emotional, this is good.”
Here's a wide angle of the Matvei Michkov and Nick Seeler heated exchange. #Flyers https://t.co/wlUPHiIa94
— Flyers Nation (@FlyersNation) November 10, 2026
He added that the players had eaten together before that game.
“Before tonight’s game, we sat together at dinner and ate. This is all good,” Michkov said.
Friedman also gave Michkov credit for doing everything the Flyers asked of him this past summer, including showing up in good shape and working on his English, which has built up some trust with management.
On the ice, the 21-year-old has been Philadelphia’s most dangerous scorer, leading the team with 10 goals this season.
He’s in the final year of his entry-level contract and is set to become a restricted free agent next summer.
