Michkov keeps humming, Flyers beat Sabres with 7 more goals originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

After a stretch of 11 losses in 12 games, the Flyers won their second straight Saturday afternoon with a 7-4 decision over the Sabres at the Wells Fargo Center.

Matvei Michkov put up his second straight two-goal performance. Jakob Pelletier scored his first as a Flyer and Noah Cates potted the go-ahead 4-3 goal in the second period. Cates had a three-point effort.

Owen Tippett, Tyson Foerster and Ryan Poehling gave the Flyers third-period insurance. The markers for Tippett and Poehling came on the power play. The Flyers’ man advantage has produced goals in back-to-back games and is 3 for 38 in March.

The Flyers (30-36-9) are 2-0-0 under interim head coach Brad Shaw and have scored 13 goals. They beat the Canadiens, 6-4, two days ago after John Tortorella was fired in the morning.

“It’s just different, just like a reset,” Cates said after Saturday’s win. “When you’re in a season like that, a tough spot, any change is welcomed. Unfortunately it’s a coach and a well-respected guy.”

The Flyers have seven games left.

“We realize in here that we were a part of the problem,” Tippett said. “If we performed better, then maybe those circumstances don’t happen. I think it was kind of a wake-up call for all of us and we just want to finish the rest of the season strong here.”

The Flyers are 2-0-0 against the Sabres (30-36-6). The clubs meet in the regular-season finale April 17 at KeyBank Center.

• Michkov’s push to become the first Flyer to ever win the Calder Trophy continued to heat up.

“He’s an exceptional player with the puck, an exceptional player offensively,” Shaw said. “I think what he has to learn is that the better he checks and the better he plays without the puck, the sooner he gets it back and then the more opportunistic he can be and the more he can show off the skill package that he has.”

The 20-year-old winger leads all NHL rookies in goals with 24. He has three overtime winners, three shootout tallies and 56 points. Over the last 20 games, he has recorded 22 points (10 goals, 12 assists).

“There’s so much room for growth away from the puck,” Shaw said. “Even with the puck, he’s going to learn, as he goes, what works and what doesn’t work in so many different scenarios. And he’s well down that path already.

“That’s a real exciting player to sort of picture where he may be three, four years from now. He’s a challenge, he can be opinionated and he can be a little bit stubborn, but he’s playing some great hockey for us offensively right now and we’re reaping the benefits.”

Canadiens defenseman Lane Hutson, Sharks center Macklin Celebrini and Flames goalie Dustin Wolf are expected to be Michkov’s top competition for the rookie honor.

• The Flyers came into Saturday just one point ahead of Buffalo for the Eastern Conference’s worst record. The Sabres have played three fewer games, so it’s something to keep an eye on the rest of the way.

But the Flyers also entered Saturday just one point behind the Kraken and two points back of the Penguins and Bruins. There’s potential for a lot of movement before the end of the season when it comes to the 2025 NHL draft lottery odds.

• Samuel Ersson won consecutive starts for the first time since Feb. 22-25, when he picked up victories in the Flyers’ first two games out of the 4 Nations Face-Off break.

The 25-year-old made 17 saves on 21 shots Saturday.

Buffalo netminder Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen stopped 25 of the Flyers’ 32 shots.

• Cam York was back in the lineup after sitting on the bench for all of Thursday night’s game because of a disciplinary issue.

The 24-year-old played alongside Jamie Drysdale. Both were a plus-1.

• Garnet Hathaway (undisclosed) and Rasmus Ristolainen (upper body) remained out.

• Before the game, the Flyers honored Bob Kelly, who recently retired after serving the organization for over 50 years.

Known as “The Hound,” Kelly was on the Flyers’ back-to-back Stanley Cup-winning clubs in 1974 and 1975.

“It really goes back to the fans, our fan base, we wanted to give them a product that they could be happy with,” Kelly said. “It’s kind of what was enjoyable.”

Following his playing career, Kelly held many roles in the organization’s community relations department.

“A very good man who worked his ass off for this team,” Hockey Hall of Famer and Flyers icon Bob Clarke said.

• The Flyers are back in action Monday when they host the Predators (7 p.m. ET/NBCSP).

With coaching news coming out of the Philadelphia Flyers organization this past week, many have set their sights on how the NHL coaching landscape could look past this season. Vancouver Canucks Head Coach Rick Tocchet is currently tied at sixth with seven other coaches for the longest-tenured bench boss in the NHL with their current team. The 2024–25 regular season is Tocchet’s last year of his current contract, though there is an option to extend this by another year from the organization’s side. Rumours have swirled about Tocchet possibly replacing former Flyers coach John Tortorella during the offseason, as the current Canucks coach spent 11 seasons with Philadelphia as a player. 

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As it stands, Tocchet’s status moving forward with the team is unknown, but that doesn’t mean his departure is confirmed. In his three seasons and 190 games coached as a member of the Canucks, he has a record of 104–61–25 — good for a points-percentage of .613%. By the time the 2024–25 regular season ends, he’ll be at 200 games coached with Vancouver. In an interview with insider Pierre LeBrun of TSN, Canucks General Manager Patrik Allvin spoke highly of the current Canucks head coach. 

“I sure hope that he’s going to be part of this organization moving forward. That’s a conversation that I hope we’ll get to the finish line here sooner rather than later,” he said. 

Tocchet is the only head coach who is on an expiring deal. However, it wouldn’t be surprising if a few other coaches found themselves jobless by the offseason. 

The Nashville Predators were mathematically eliminated from playoff contention on Thursday night after narrowly losing 3–2 to the St. Louis Blues. Their season comes as a bit of a surprise to many, as the additions of Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, Brady Skjei, and more were expected to make them a genuine contender. However, things got off the rails early, and the Predators were never able to live up to the lofty expectations set for them last summer. Andrew Brunette, Nashville’s Head Coach, has seen success in past seasons such as his 51–18–6 2021–22 season with the Florida Panthers, but his current record (27–37–8) indicates that the Predators may wish to make some changes behind the bench. With that being said, even if Nashville was to move on from Brunette, it’s not likely that he would end up in Vancouver. 

A team whose trajectory has started trending downhill is the Pittsburgh Penguins. Coming off his 10th season as the Penguins’ Head Coach, Mike Sullivan and his team have not made the playoffs since 2022. While it’s clear that the Penguins organization wants to keep as many pieces of their former Stanley Cup-winning team together, something to consider is the Canucks’ role in this situation. Vancouver’s inclination to acquire players connected to Pittsburgh’s championship teams is no secret — Allvin and President of Hockey Operations, Jim Rutherford, have pointedly targeted players and coaches that they have history with. However, the 2025–26 season is the final year of Sullivan’s contract, and with Pittsburgh’s current situation, it’d make the most sense for them to stick with their Head Coach and make a decision on where their future lies. 

One candidate to become the Canucks’ Head Coach in the 2025–26 season isn’t very far from home. Former player (2010–13) and assistant coach (2016–20) with the Canucks, Manny Malhotra, rejoined the organization in 2024 as the Head Coach of the Abbotsford Canucks. Previously, Malhotra spent four years with the Toronto Maple Leafs as an assistant coach. With both NHL and AHL experience, as well as familiarity with the Canucks organization, it’d make the most sense for Vancouver’s next Head Coach to be someone who has been ingrained in the team since earlier days. Malhotra has seen the culture of the 2011 Canucks, but was also around for the debuts of Brock Boeser, Elias Pettersson, and Quinn Hughes. The length of his contract is currently unknown. 

At the end of the day, the Canucks’ Head Coach for the 2025–26 season depends on what the organization decides to do with Tocchet. While this year has been a rollercoaster, Tocchet has managed to keep the team competitive even towards the end of the season. A reset during the offseason may bring the team back to the success they shared in 2023–24. For the time being, Vancouver should opt to continue with Tocchet and move on the season after if the results aren’t there. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, be sure to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum.

NASHVILLE -- It was during training camp when Predators veteran forward Jonathan Marchessault was getting ready to board a flight to Quebec for a jersey retirement ceremony and his brother called with news nobody ever wants to receive.

Their mother, Leslie, had suffered a heart attack and died at the age of 70.

A celebration to commemorate a career with 98 goals and 239 points in 254 games during his time with the Quebec Ramparts was suddenly dampened.

Former @quebec_remparts star Jonathan Marchessault had his no. 18 jersey retired by the franchise Saturday! 👏🏻

— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) September 22, 2024

"It was just a tough situation; it's super sad how it happened, but you just learn to keep going," Marchessault said during a conversation with The Hockey News, one day before the Vegas Golden Knights, his former team, would visit. "It was the first time I would see all the family without my mom there. So that was a mix of emotions, which was kind of weird, a little bit. We managed to have a good time still and tried to enjoy the recognition that the Ramparts were giving me, because ... it was a super great honor."

As the lovable 33-year-old spark plug watched his No. 18 jersey rise to honor him, one had to wonder if he was glancing beyond the rafters, knowing his mother was smiling from above.

Jonathan Marchessault’s no. 18 is forever in the rafters at Videotron Centre 🤩 pic.twitter.com/AF8OndHATm

— Canadian Hockey League (@CHLHockey) September 21, 2024

It's how the toughest campaign the 12-year veteran has ever endured began.

"It's definitely been a hard season for me, personally," said Marchessault, who still holds Vegas' franchise record with 192 goals, and also 42 power-play goals. "I didn't expect the move to be that big, in terms of (draining my) energy. ... I think it was just a really tough summer, to be honest. Not a lot of time for me and my wife to just relax and enjoy life a little bit. So it's been definitely overwhelming.

"Mental health (has been) challenging this year. But if you look at my past, and the way I'm built and all that, I will bounce back."

That, is unquestionable.

HIS ROCK

If not for his wife, Alexandra, there's no telling how Marchessault would have handled things.

After spending Vegas' first seven seasons in the NHL as a member of the Golden Knights, the "original misfit" who hoisted the Conn Smythe trophy after leading the team to a Stanley Cup in 2023 was moving on.

Marchessault signed with the Predators, inking a five-year, $27.5 million contract that gave him the stability he was looking for as he reaches the backside of his career.

Though he'd hoped to retire a Golden Knight, the veteran winger whose heart and spirit outweigh his (listed) 5-foot-9 frame has been around long enough to know how the business works.

"And that's something that I really loved about Vegas - they're a hard team, a hard organization - they do everything what's best for their success," he said. "And despite anything, they always think of their success. And if one day I'm going to be a GM, I'm going to run things like that, too. I'm going to make the things that I need to do to become the best team on the ice. And I think that's one of their best qualities that they have."

He also knew - and has known for 10 years now - that when he leaves the rink after a game or practice, first and foremost he's a family man.

A doting father, Marchessault and his wife had one son when they arrived in Vegas in 2017. They now have four children: 10-year-old James, Victoria (9), William (6) and Henry (5).

The next Marchessault generation is already in training.

The @PredsNHL centreman continues to encourage his kids’ inherited love for the game while putting fun first 👇

— NHLPA (@NHLPA) January 31, 2025

And when he lost his mother just before his first season with the Predators, it was his family that provided a perfect diversion he needed. Going to the rink and focusing on a new coaching staff and new teammates was one thing, but having his family was what mattered.

Seeing his boys play hockey brought back fond memories of his time in youth hockey, leading up to those junior days in Quebec. Having his wife by his side proved invaluable.

"I have a pretty busy household already, and that kept me going," Marchessault said. "My wife is the best ... we have so much stuff to do every day. We are a growing family. We've got kids that move a lot. I mean, the way that my wife does things, like she's hard on herself, and she makes my life so much easier on everything. And I think that's what saved me this year, I would say, is how she stepped up. She's always stepping up, but she stepped up and made it easier for me to adapt and get into my groove here.

"(And) something that I love is just being a dad. My mom was super family-oriented, and that's something that I probably got from her. Me and my wife are really into (parenting) and all that kind of stuff and definitely enjoy following the passion of our kids."

THE BOUNCE

With perceived clarity for the upcoming offseason, Marchessault's bounce-back will begin in roughly two weeks.

He arrived in Nashville after seven winning seasons in Vegas, six of them reaching the playoffs, and knew the Predators had expectations with him being a major acquisition last summer and a key part to a new-look offense that also included incoming Steven Stamkos, who won a Stanley Cup in Tampa.

"And we didn't reach that this year, so obviously, that's disappointing," said Marchessault, the only player in Golden Knights history with more than 400 points, sitting No. 1 with 417. "And I've never had necessarily a season like that, the bottom of the league, it's been tough."

Nashville was officially eliminated from the playoffs this past week, and with 10 games left, coach Andrew Brunette has come to appreciate Marchessault for all he's been through while still maintaining poise and dignity as one of the most competitive personalities in the NHL.

From leaving Vegas, to the jersey retirement, to losing his mother, to getting accustomed to new line combinations while trying to find his cadence and rhythm with a new group, Brunette said he understood why it was disjointed from the start.

"And he's mentally been strong where he's still going to do what Marchy is going to do, and I think he's hung in there," Brunette said. "He's come to work every day. He hasn't really taken some time off. He went right at it. And I think right now he's probably looking forward to getting through the end here and regrouping. I think it's been a real tough year on him, both personally and the (team) change ... and those are hard times to adjust to, so he's hung in there.

"I'm hoping these next 10 games he gets a good feeling going into the off-season."

Marchessault said having a veteran group of players in the locker room eased the transition, while helping him fall in love with Nashville.

"That was the easy part," he said. "In the world of hockey, I've yet to meet a lot of guys that weren't great guys to be around, so that was the easy part. I think the guys are so inviting. And it starts with the leadership group ... it's just like the older guys are good people. So I think it just goes down the lineup to make it easier for everybody. And we do team bonding stuff, like we do with other teams, so that was definitely the easy part."

Nashville star Filip Forsberg has enjoyed Marchessault's presence, and has also been impressed by what he overcame while making the transition from Vegas to Nashville.

"Just the personality that he's got, he's a great guy who comes in every day and puts a smile on his face; he's up to some mischief and things like that," Forsberg said with a chuckle. "I think he's been a great teammate. It certainly cannot have been easy for him ... I think just being able to get to know him, it's been real good so far."

"This was a playoff game, and we kind of showed why we are where we are versus where they are." - Filip Forsberg on the #Preds loss to the Blues.

Full postgame video @TheHockeyNews ⬇️https://t.co/damKZfVtLF

— Emma Lingan (@emma_lingan) March 28, 2025

Though the offseason can't come soon enough, so he can prepare for the 2025-26 season and help the Predators get back to playoff-caliber hockey, Marchessault said he's looking forward to seeing Vegas' fans for the first time since signing in Nashville.

Nashville will play its final road game in Vegas, which happens to be the Golden Knights' home finale, and Marchessault has seen plenty of emotional video tributes to former players to understand what's coming.

"I was just with (former Knight) Will Carrier this week in Carolina, and he told me it just builds you up inside," he said. "And I'm definitely really excited to go back to just to see the Fortress, the arena, the roads that you take to go to the rink and all that kind of stuff. It was home for me. It's still a part of me, is part of home a little bit. It'll be definitely weird, but I'm definitely excited to just go back and see the fans, the arena, the city, the lights.

"Just a great atmosphere and the great juju that's over there, definitely just super excited to go back."

Defend our barn ⚔️

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— Nashville Predators (@PredsNHL) March 29, 2025