Michkov shows up 30 pounds lighter and talking about one-timers
After a 20-goal sophomore slump, the Flyers winger cut sugar, added workouts and had his coach walking back the conditioning talk.
Matvei Michkov showed up to Flyers camp 30 pounds lighter, at 172, after a summer built around a new diet and three workouts a day, per NHL.com. He cut fast food and sugar, with chocolate allowed only on rest days. Flyers performance coach Lorne Goldenberg spent two weeks with him in Russia.
Michkov went from 26 goals and 63 points as a rookie to 20 and 51 last season, then managed one assist in eight playoff games, per TSN. Rick Tocchet, who knocked his conditioning during the year, told TSN he probably said it once too often.
GM Daniel Briere says Michkov now carries "a different swagger." Michkov's own line: "I need to shoot harder on one-timers."
Ferda read: a young scorer who fixes his body after a bad year is doing the boring part right. The one-timer is what Philly actually needs, though. Thirty pounds doesn't score on the power play. Reps do.