“Fireworks” between John Tortorella and Matvei Michkov

Philadelphia Flyers’ top pick Matvei Michkov will be a welcome addition to a club that struggled to finish the damn season last year. He officially joined the team in July, signing his entry level deal with the Flyers after being released from his contract with the KHL’s Sochi HC.

Many NHL fans are anticipating Michkov to change the game in Philly, possibly making them contenders once again, however, general manager Daniel Briere warned everyone in his presser on Tuesday the bar will be set low for him in his first NHL season.

“It’s gonna be a tough season for him. This is the best league in the world. It’s a big step. It’s not going to be easy. So my expectations are actually pretty low,” the GM said.

That’s not what caught the attention when the general manager spoke about his star prospect. When he talked about Michkov playing under coach John Tortorella, who is known to have deprived young skaters of playing time to get his message across to them in the past, Briere fully admitted he expects friction.

“There’s going to be some fireworks. But he’s going to teach him to be a pro. He’s going to teach him to be the best player he can be,” said Briere, who stated that the final lineup decisions are left with Tortorella.

While Briere’s expectations for Michkov may be low for now, he, like most of the fanbase, could see flashes of the teenager that put up 19 goals and 41 points in 47 games last season in the KHL.

I guess it all depends how he responds to Torts’ coaching for his first NHL season.