Matvei Michkov is heading toward free agency, and the Philadelphia Flyers still are not offering him an extension.
General manager Daniel Briere has confirmed it directly. No active talks on a new deal, not for Michkov, and not for Rasmus Ristolainen either.
That could look like Philadelphia avoiding a hard conversation. It's actually the opposite.
Michkov's production dropped from a 63-point rookie year down to 51 points across 81 games this past season.
His ice time slid too, down to just under 15 minutes a night. That's not the trajectory anyone in Philadelphia wanted to see.
So why hand out a life-changing contract before finding out which version of Michkov shows up next?
Waiting gives Briere something more valuable than an early signature. It gives him information.
Why September 15 changes everything for the Flyers
There's a real deadline attached to this patience. September 15 is the last day teams can sign their own players to eight-year extensions before the new CBA drops the max term to seven.
That puts real pressure on Briere with Michkov specifically. Miss that window, and the ceiling on term shrinks permanently.
Ristolainen is a different kind of math problem entirely. He's not a building block Philadelphia has to plan around.
He put up 14 points in 44 games last season, and the Flyers have reportedly floated him in trade talks at a high asking price.
Signing him long-term takes an option off the table. Philadelphia clearly doesn't want to close that door yet.
The Flyers already have young defensemen in the pipeline. Jamie Drysdale, signed through 2029-30, put up 32 points last season.
David Jiricek and Oliver Bonk are both still on entry deals too, more reasons Ristolainen isn't an obvious long-term priority.
Philadelphia finished 43-27-12 last season under head coach Rick Tocchet, good enough to reach the postseason and get real playoff snaps for both players.
Michkov played eight playoff games, Ristolainen ten, actual game action Briere can weigh alongside the regular-season numbers.
Is Briere gambling that Michkov's price stays flat while he waits? Maybe. But letting the season answer the question beats guessing in September.
Should the Flyers lock up Matvei Michkov now, or keep waiting to see what he becomes?
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