Things just got a lot worse for the Flyers amid Matvei Michkov trade drama

ESPN insider Kevin Weekes reported Tuesday that Matvei Michkov would prefer a fresh start with another team, describing him as a highly sought-after potential trade target.

The pushback came quickly. ESPN's Emily Kaplan reported that the Flyers have not been made aware of a direct trade request from his camp, and general manager Daniel Briere told Sportsnet's Frank Seravalli that the subject has never been discussed and the club has no plan to move him.

Part of the online reaction came from posts like this one that advised the situation got a lot worse today.

Michkov has not played like a player on the way out.

He leads Philadelphia with 10 goals and shares the team lead with Trevor Zegras at 14 points through 20 games.

His ice time has climbed to 15:54 per game under Rick Tocchet, up from 14:50 last season, though still short of the 16:41 he averaged as a rookie, when he produced 63 points.

Last year he finished with 51 points in 81 games after Tocchet criticized his conditioning at training camp.

The bigger problem is the team around him.

Philadelphia sits at 5-10-5, the worst points percentage in the Eastern Conference, a year after reaching the second round of the playoffs.

Michkov has looked frustrated at times, including an altercation with defenseman Nick Seeler in Monday's 3-1 win in Vancouver.

His contract adds pressure. He is in the final year of his entry-level deal and will be a restricted free agent this summer, which means the Flyers control his rights.

A reported preference is not a trade request, and nothing suggests a deal is close.

Still, if the losing continues, this storyline will not go quiet.

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