Rick Tocchet removes star player from lineup after heated altercation

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Skyler Walker
April 27, 2026  (1:07 PM)

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Photo credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Matvei Michkov may be out, and Rick Tocchet looks ready to make his biggest Flyers call of the spring.

That's the story coming out of Philadelphia ahead of Game 5 after Tocchet warned changes were coming following the Flyers' loss in Game 4.

He didn't leave much room for doubt, either. The lineup used in practice pointed straight at a healthy scratch for one of the club's most gifted young forwards.

On several occasions this season, we have witnessed Tocchet call out Michkov, and even on-bench altercations.

Michkov wasn't part of the forward groups shown Sunday, and that immediately shifted the mood around the room. This isn't a minor tweak to the bottom six.

This is Tocchet reaching for a playoff lever.

When a coach takes a winger with Michkov's skill out of the mix, it says he wants more than flashes with the puck.

The likely replacement is Alex Bump, who appears set to draw in after working through practice with a lineup that looked built for heavier minutes and harder forecheck pressure.

The practice combinations told the whole story: Barkey with Trevor Zegras and Owen Tippett, then Travis Konecny with Christian Dvorak and Porter Martone. Bump landed with Noah Cates and Tyson Foerster.

That leaves Michkov on the outside after an 81-game season in which he posted 20 goals and 51 points. Those are not light numbers for a young winger.

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But the playoffs have gone cold fast. Through 4 games in the series, Michkov has been held scoreless with a -1 rating.

That gap between regular-season touch and playoff impact is what Tocchet is reacting to now. The Flyers finished with 98 points, so this team is past the stage of waiting for talent to sort itself out.

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There's also the bench dynamic here. Tocchet has pushed Michkov hard, and this move feels like the clearest sign yet that trust has to be earned shift by shift in this locker room.

If Bump gets in, the Flyers are betting work rate and detail can beat pure upside for one night. That's a loud call, and now Tocchet owns the fallout if it backfires.

Previously

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Chris Patrick officially confirms a longtime Capitals figure is officially leaving: Kirk Muller sparks change

Biggest controversy of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs puts NHL officials under fire

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AVRIL 27   |   374 ANSWERS Rick Tocchet removes star player from lineup after heated altercation Should Rick Tocchet scratch Matvei Michkov for Game 5 ?
Yes	226	60.4 %
No	148	39.6 %
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