Philadelphia Flyers winger Owen Tippett recently had another impressive performance. In a system that prioritizes preventing rush chances, his speed and ability to create in transition have been a godsend. On March 11, he recorded a goal and an assist in a 4–1 victory against the Washington Capitals.
On the season, Tippett is up to 22 goals and 18 assists in 65 contests. Beyond the basic numbers, it’s clear to the eye that the 27-year-old has improved his decision-making and overall impact on the game. The general media has recognized him for these accomplishments (from ‘A relieved Owen Tippett dominates in Flyers’ win over Caps: ‘I love playing here’,’ The Athletic – March 12, 2026).
However, the media will also tell you that the hopeful face of the franchise, Matvei Michkov, is playing unacceptable hockey. Multiple reporters have criticized his “body fat percentage,” playing into head coach Rick Tocchet’s incessant “out-of-shape” comments.
Related: Flyers’ Daniel Brière Is Falling into the Chuck Fletcher Trap
In reality, though, the two players’ campaigns aren’t as dissimilar as some are making them out to be. Let’s look at the numbers—they tell a different story than what the media has portrayed.
Michkov vs. Tippett: Offensive Production
This season, Michkov has 16 goals and 17 assists in 64 games. That falls a bit short of Tippett, but when you account for the two-minute average of ice time difference per game, they’re closer than the raw stats suggest.
Per 60 minutes, Tippett is recording 2.22 points compared to Michkov’s 2.09. Those totals rank in the 67th and 63rd percentiles league-wide among forwards with 25 games played. In terms of production, they’re practically the same.
Michkov vs. Tippett: Overall Impact
When shifting to overall offensive impact, you could argue that Michkov is the narrow winner. Per 60 minutes at 5-on-5, he ranks second among Flyers forwards in shots generated, fifth in goals, and sixth in expected goals. In those same metrics, Tippett is third, seventh, and fourth.
Related: Hockey Advanced Analytics: What Are They & Why Are They Important?
What about defense, you ask? Tippett has him there, with a better even-strength defensive grade (0.04 vs. minus-0.29). But Michkov has a slightly better goal share (47.6% vs. 45.2%) and is allowing just 0.03 more expected goals per 60 minutes.
When putting everything together, you have to account for Michkov’s lack of discipline in the first half of the season, which is a detriment to his overall impact. But at the end of the day, both players have had objectively good seasons.
Final Word: “Michkov Is Out of Shape” Talk Is Out of Hand
The anti-Michkov propaganda has recently ramped up another notch. Almost daily, you have reporters repeating the “out-of-shape” sentiments that were already dragged out by October. After fans began criticizing Tocchet, Paul Bissonnette, a known friend of the coach and a big media personality, released a series of posts poking fun at Flyers fans and Michkov.
Vibe check Flyers fans? Another big W. Back to back with travel heading into Minnesota. Your boy with a big nothing burger in the points department and 3 giveaways yet the other guys come through. Was 16 minutes not enough??? Say it ain’t so. Maybe uncle Bizzy boy was right. 💅🏼
— Paul Bissonnette (@BizNasty2point0) March 13, 2026
It’s just some internet banter, but it is a little telling that nobody has Michkov’s back in all of this. Last season, when Bissonnette criticized Connor Bedard for playing “pond hockey,” the Chicago Blackhawks were quick to defend their star.
This whole drama is beyond out of hand—you can’t have NHL.com reporters saying a young player’s body fat percentage online, even if the player was poorly conditioned. Yet, the Flyers don’t really seem to care. Hopefully, they come to their senses one day. Because their 21-year-old, who is “out of shape,” is right there with Tippett—an in-his-prime player who everyone seems to want.
Stats courtesy of Hockey Stats
