The Flyers continue to roll in their return from the 4 Nations break, but one last wave of trade deadline rumors does hang over the heads of Scott Laughton and the rest of the team.

Hello there, Matvei Michkov. After taking time away from hockey during the 4 Nations Face-Off — “I needed the pause, especially for the head,” he said through a team translator last Saturday — Michkov has looked rejuvenated and refreshed on and off the ice since the NHL season restarted Feb.

PHILADELPHIA — Why, yes, the suggestion that Philadelphia Flyers rookie Matvei Michkov, who struggled for weeks going into the break for the 4 Nations Face-Off, was gassed from the grind two-thirds of the way through his first NHL season has merit.

Rest does Matvei Michkov good. On Saturday, the Flyers phenom was named the NHL’s Rookie of the Month for February. It is his second honor this season after also having won it in October. Michkov led all rookies with 10 points (five goals,

Michkov becomes the first rookie of the 2024-25 campaign to earn Rookie of the Month honors for the second time and the only Flyers rookie in franchise history to do so in the last 30 years. He previously earned the award in October after leading all rookies with four goals and tying for the points lead with nine.