Matvei Michkov will be a healthy scratch in Tampa: 'It's part of the process'

PHILADELPHIA — In his two-plus years as Flyers head coach, John Tortorella has preached that nobody is above the law and backed up those words with his actions.

Thursday afternoon provided the latest example, as Tortorella announced that rookie sensation Matvei Michkov will be a healthy scratch for the team’s game Thursday against the Tampa Bay Lightning (7:30 p.m., ESPN+/Hulu). Michkov is currently second on the team in points with 10 (four goals, six assists) and last Friday was named the NHL’s rookie of the month for October. Thursday will mark the first time Michkov has been benched after appearing in the Flyers’ first 13 games.

“It’s part of the process,” Tortorella told the media from Tampa. “With young guys, they can watch games too, as far as development, so it’s trying to help them.”

Michkov’s play has dropped off lately both from a production standpoint and the eye test. The Russian winger has just one assist, a power-play helper on Tuesday in Carolina, over his past five games. Tortorella also hasn’t been happy with his play away from the puck, as Michkov was benched for stretches of the past two games, including most of the third period against the Hurricanes. The head coach sees watching a game upstairs as a teaching moment for Michkov and potentially a chance for him to reset and gain a different perspective.

Michkov is not the first Flyer to be scratched nor will he be the last, as Morgan Frost, Travis Sanheim, Cam York, Tyson Foerster, and even captain Sean Couturier are among the high-profile Flyers who have been benched by Tortorella in recent seasons.

Winger Anthony Richard will come in for Michkov after being called up on Wednesday. Richard, who turns 28 next month, had a strong training camp, showcasing high-end speed and tallying two goals and two assists in preseason. The veteran forward, who has played 24 NHL games over this nine-year pro career, had scored four goals and contributed nine points in seven games this season at Lehigh Valley.