Matvei Michkovsa国际传媒檚 first dose of culture shock in American hockey hit the teen sensation when he skated in the opening days of Philadelphia Flyerssa国际传媒� training camp.

Flyers fans were already dressed in his No. 39 jersey. Lots of them. Kids. Adults. The Flyers open the doors to the public for most practices, and fans sa国际传媒� who havensa国际传媒檛 had much to cheer for since 2010 sa国际传媒� flocked to South Jersey to catch a glimpse of the talent whosa国际传媒檚 buzz has already drawn comparisons to another franchise great, Eric Lindros.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 an unbelievable feeling to see the fans already showing up,sa国际传媒� Michkov said through a translator. sa国际传媒淚t helps go though the hard training. Sometimes, wesa国际传媒檙e doing it for the fans and it helps overall.sa国际传媒�

The 19-year-old Russian also noted hesa国际传媒檇 never seen so many fans before wearing his jersey.

He better get used to the early fame.

In a sports city loaded with the biggest athletes in sports sa国际传媒� from Bryce Harper to Joel Embiid to Jalen Hurts sa国际传媒� the once-mighty Flyers have languished in obscurity with rosters filled with mostly indistinguishable skaters.

Michkov could be the breakthrough star the Flyers desperately craved as they make the climb back into the playoffs sa国际传媒� and relevancy.

The hype comes with one critical caveat, per coach John Tortorella.

sa国际传媒淚tsa国际传媒檚 not going to be the Mischa show, because I think itsa国际传媒檚 unfair to him,sa国际传媒� Tortorella said. sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 going to watch that very closely, because I want to give him every opportunity to get his feet planted in here and go about it the right way.sa国际传媒�

The Flyers are even still amazed Michkov is in the States to help push the team for the first time since 2020, and in the 50th anniversary season of their last Stanley Cup championship.

His slick playmaking had scouts projecting Michkov might have been drafted right behind Chicagosa国际传媒檚 Connor Bedard in 2023 had he not been tangled in a long-term deal with his team in Russiasa国际传媒檚 Kontinental Hockey League.

General manager Danny Briere preached patience when the Flyers selected Michkov with the seventh pick in the 2023 draft, knowing he had three years left on his KHL contract. After tricky negotiations, SKA St. Petersburg instead let Michkov over the summer, paving the way for the 5-10, 176-pound right wing to arrive in Philadelphia ahead of schedule.

The early returns impressed the Flyers.

sa国际传媒淵ou could tell he has a lot of confidence, hesa国际传媒檒l try some stuff that most guys wonsa国际传媒檛,sa国际传媒� Flyers goalie Samuel Ersson said. sa国际传媒淚 know in the scrimmages we had here a little bit before camp, he scored some nifty goals on me. So itsa国际传媒檚 kind of like, all right, I got to be ready for everything here when he comes in.sa国际传媒�

With opening night not until Oct. 11 in Vancouver, the Flyers have experimented with line combinations. Morgan Frost, a first-round pick in the 2017 draft, has centered a line that included Michkov and Owen Tippett.

Theysa国际传媒檝e let their play do the talking, as Michkov, who turns 20 in December, crams to learn English.

sa国际传媒淚 think sometimes itsa国际传媒檚 a little harder for him to say what he wants to say,sa国际传媒� Frost said. sa国际传媒淚 think everyonesa国际传媒檚 trying to make him welcome, and he seems to have a great attitude and he has fun out there.sa国际传媒�

Michkovsa国际传媒檚 transition to America has been eased somewhat with the Flyers use of a steady translator sa国际传媒� who sat with Michkov in the Phillies dugout before a recent first pitch sa国际传媒� and playing with Russian teammates Egor Zamula and Ivan Fedotov.

Michkov, who is from Perm, Russia, is just one of the boys in the locker room. Before a recent practice, Michkov was left a message at his locker written in both English and Russian, just so nothing was lost in translation.

sa国际传媒淒id you already find US woman,sa国际传媒� Zamula said, laughing. sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 like sa国际传媒� Right away? Itsa国际传媒檚 too soon guys, focus on hockey.sa国际传媒�

Teammate Erik Johnson was the instigator, just a little fun to loosen up the training camp grind.

sa国际传媒淚sa国际传媒檓 going to help him as much as I can, joke with him, have fun with him,sa国际传媒� Johnson said. sa国际传媒淢aybe try and teach him some new words. I donsa国际传媒檛 know what those will be, but wesa国际传媒檒l see. Isa国际传媒檒l try and help him on a day-to-day basis. Maybe do some trivia, I donsa国际传媒檛 know, just little stuff to kind of make it fun and help him with his English.sa国际传媒�

He needed little help in Russia with his hockey. Michkov was the property of SKA St. Petersburg, where he appeared in one game before being loaned to HC Sochi for the remainder of the season. He had 19 goals and 22 assists for 41 points in 47 games. He recorded 11 multipoint games and finished the season with five goals and eight points in his last nine games.

sa国际传媒淗esa国际传媒檚 got some personality,sa国际传媒� Tortorella said. sa国际传媒淪ometimes it goes the wrong way with a coach and a player, but at least itsa国际传媒檚 personality. I think itsa国际传媒檚 boring sometimes in this league where theresa国际传媒檚 no personality with the guys. He does. You can see the puck follows him. Hesa国际传媒檚 skilled, you can see that.sa国际传媒�

Philadelphia is just now deftly orchestrated by Briere and beginning to transition into a contender.

Who knows? The missing piece just might be a teenager out of Russia.

sa国际传媒淗esa国际传媒檚 got those hands, that vision, he can make plays,sa国际传媒� Flyers captain Sean Couturier said. sa国际传媒淲esa国际传媒檒l see, but I think we got to be careful also not to just judge right away. Hesa国际传媒檚 only 19, and hesa国际传媒檚 coming to a new country. I donsa国际传媒檛 know how many times hesa国际传媒檚 been over here, but theresa国际传媒檚 a lot of new stuff in his life. I think we got to be patient and let him grow into the player he can be.sa国际传媒�