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NHL.com is providing in-depth roster, prospect and fantasy analysis for each of its 32 teams from Aug. 1-Sept. 1. Today, three important questions facing the Philadelphia Flyers.

1. What are realistic expectations for Matvei Michkov?

The 19-year-old forward comes with a significant amount of anticipation due to his exceptional offensive skills that set him apart from the rest of the team. However, the Flyers are working hard to keep expectations under control.

“This year provides him with an opportunity to get a feel for the game at this level and adjust,” said general manager Daniel Briere. “Frankly, my expectations for him are not that high. I’m anticipating more from our other players who’ve been with us for a while to make progress.”

Michkov has expressed his readiness to understand life in the NHL, both on and off the ice, with a singular objective in mind.

“He communicated through an interpreter that the initial plan is for the team to reach the Stanley Cup Playoffs,” he said. “The aim is to help the team secure consistent victories so that the fans will increasingly enjoy attending the games.”

The day after arriving in Philadelphia from Russia at the end of July, Michkov was on the ice working toward his goal. His level of initiative greatly impressed the management of the Flyers.

“Briere stated, “He desired to arrive here promptly, adjust, and aim to place himself in the most advantageous position to tackle the year. Much of this initiative comes from him too. He has the desire and is prepared to put himself in those situations to achieve success. I particularly commend him for his readiness to position himself in the most favorable circumstances.”

2. How do they fix the power play?

The Flyers have finished at the bottom of the NHL for the third consecutive season, with the lowest power play percentage at 12.2 percent.

Coach John Tortorella confirmed that assistant Rocky Thompson will once again manage that unit. However, during the offseason, they have sought ideas from Briere, hockey operations advisors John LeClair and Patrick Sharp, and pro scout Dany Heatley, all of whom have had notable contributions to power-play during their NHL careers.

Briere said the addition of Michkov and a full season with defenseman Jamie Drysdale should help.

“He stated, ‘It’s undeniable that our power play needs to improve for us to outdo last season’s success. It’s not about skyrocketing from the league’s bottom to the top five. It’s about making small, ongoing improvements to get us back to where we believe we should be.'”

3. Can the goalie tandem be successful?

Samuel Ersson and Ivan Fedotov will begin the season with 66 games of NHL experience, 63 of them for Ersson.

Ersson was thrust into the No. 1 role after Carter Hart took a leave of absence Jan. 23. He had a 2.82 goals-against average and .890 save percentage in 51 games, but noticeably wore down late while starting 28 of Philadelphia’s final 34 games.

On March 29, Fedotov arrived from the Kontinental Hockey League and participated in three games. Subsequently, on April 23, he signed a contract for two years worth $6.5 million, which amounts to an average annual value of $3.25 million.

The season will start with them on equal terms, and Briere is anticipating the internal competition for game time.

“He said, ‘I hope this sparks a healthy competition between the two, pushing each other to improve.'”