Luchanko, Michkov fuel youth movement, but Flyers don't see them as teenagers

VOORHEES, N.J. — The Flyers know there will be debate about the NHL readiness of Jett Luchanko, who turned 18 years old not even two months ago.

They know Matvei Michkov won't be perfect as an NHL rookie after the 19-year-old came to America from Russia in July two years ahead of schedule.

They'll keep a close eye on the top prospects as both jump into the Flyers' lineup for the 2024-25 regular-season opener Friday on the road against the Canucks (10 p.m. ET/NBCSP).

Yes, Luchanko, too.

When the Flyers drafted the swift, 5-foot-11 center at 13th overall in the summer, just about nobody had him making the NHL come the fall. But on opening night, he'll become the youngest player in Flyers history to make his NHL debut.

"Going into training camp, I never thought he had much of a chance, more of an outside chance, small outside chance, to be honest," general manager Danny Briere said Monday after the team officially announced its roster. "But he has blown us away from Day 1. The speed is one thing that really jumped out, top-end NHL speed already at such a young age; that's impressive. And then you start watching him play and it's just all the little details in his game, the way he supports everybody, the way he makes players around him better was very impressive."

As the Flyers have evaluated Michkov and Luchanko up close, they've noticed two youngsters that belie their age. Michkov was a slam-dunk NHLer once the team knew he was on his way. Briere said the Flyers didn't have "anybody like him in the organization" after Michkov dropped to them at seventh overall in 2023. The dynamic winger had gotten acclimated before camp and was as advertised in the preseason, while Luchanko turned heads with his conditioning and maturity.

"It's a young league," head coach John Tortorella said. "See, I don't look at ages, I don't. I just watch how they play and what I also watch is how they handle themselves. And I think they both have done a really good job of that.

"Matvei has come in here early, he has learned the language, really no problems communicating with him. He knows the guys, the guys know him — that has been seamless as far as that's concerned."

Michkov put up three goals and four assists in four exhibition games, exceeding Briere's expectations.

"His playmaking abilities are outstanding," the Flyers' GM said. "I was really impressed in the battles, how he positions his body to keep pucks alive all the time.

"A lot of guys, they get in the battle, they take a big hit, they get kind of pushed out of the way and someone else comes in, picks up the puck and goes. You watch him work with his feet and his stick — he's always thinking ahead of everybody. He takes a hit but his feet are making a play with the puck at the same time and you're like, 'Wow, how did he keep the puck?' That's the kind of stuff that he does."

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Flyers’ line of Matvei Michkov, Sean Couturier and Travis Konecny getting in work at practice. Konecny scores here. pic.twitter.com/0AtqPFXLkf

— Jordan Hall (@JHallNBCS) October 7, 2024

The Flyers are set to have 12 players 25 years old or younger in their season-opening lineup. In 2021-22, they had seven. Luchanko has centered the Flyers' third (and youngest) line over the last three practices. He was on the second power play unit Monday and Tortorella said they'll also have him kill penalties. So Luchanko will get an all-situation look to start the season.

Flyers' line combinations

Matvei Michkov-Sean Couturier-Travis Konecny
Owen Tippett-Morgan Frost-Tyson Foerster
Joel Farabee-Jett Luchanko-Bobby Brink
Scott Laughton-Ryan Poehling-Garnet Hathaway

Flyers' power play units

Morgan Frost, Travis Konecny, Matvei Michkov, Owen Tippett, Jamie Drysdale

Jett Luchanko, Bobby Brink, Tyson Foerster, Joel Farabee, Egor Zamula

"It's not just in the moment, does he help us more than the next guy in line?" Briere said. "We also have to take into consideration his age and his development. What's mostly important for us is in three, five, seven years from now, how can we create the best Jett Luchanko, as well? So those are all things that we're constantly thinking about and discussing and debating.

"There's nothing guaranteed. He might be here for one day or he could be here the whole season. There's nothing guaranteed. We're taking it day by day. But he has been really impressive and so far he has earned the right to start with us."

Teams can give a junior hockey prospect an NHL audition up to nine games before burning the first year of their entry-level contract. While Luchanko had a strong start to camp and the preseason, his offensive production tapered off as the games picked up. He went scoreless over his last three outings, finishing with two assists in four games.

But the Flyers loved how he didn't tire and his game didn't suffer in other areas. As they ponder if he should eventually return to his OHL club Guelph this season or stick in the NHL, they'll be evaluating everything.

"I'm just going to watch him play; there's no particular thing," Tortorella said. "We do have, with him, that nine-game situation that we're very well aware of. We'll watch him and the whole process will unfold. I'm not going to predict anything, I'm not going to be looking for that particular thing — I'm going to let him play.

"We start seeing him play and if we feel what's happening is not good for his development, we're going to have a constant conversation about it. But we're not going to overthink it and say, 'Oh, he made a bad play there, he's going to go back.' We're going to let the kid play."

So far, going back to their draft prep, the Flyers have heard and seen enough to believe he can open this season in the NHL.

"I'm not going to throw the names that were used to compare him with because I don't want that out there, but it's impressive," Briere said. "The way people that have been around him, how they see him as far as his leadership, how he carries himself, the comparisons that were being used to try to explain Jett Luchanko."

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