It’s been a quiet opening day of free agency for the Flyers as this addition of Pouliot is their only of the day.
Chuck Fletcher spoke candidly about adding more defensive depth to the Flyers organization. And that’s just what they get in Derrick Pouliot. The former San Antonio Rampage defenseman has signed a one-year contract with the team.
It’s a two-way deal that will pay him $700K in the NHL and $425K in the AHL. The Phantoms will be his likely destination whenever next season is underway. Pouliot was look at by some as the top free agent defensemen in the AHL.
While he does have plenty of NHL experience, Pouliot spent almost all of last season with the Blues’ AHL affiliate. For the Rampage, he posted seven goals and 39 points in 59 games. He appeared in two games for the Blues as well.
He had spent the previous two seasons in the NHL with the Vancouver Canucks. There he recorded six goals and 34 points in 133 NHL games. Pouliot’s NHL career has spanned six years and saw him with a total of three other organizations before the Flyers.
Pouliot should get a chance to run the Phantoms power play, a unit that needs a big boost. And they could certainly use his offense as well. Lehigh Valley’s defense was lead by Tyler Wotherspoon who had four goals and 22 points.
Pouliot is a veteran to the AHL game as well as he has spent parts of five years in the minors. Overall he has appeared in 172 games while posting 27 goals and 109 assists. He came into the league looking like he was going to be a top defenseman.
In his last year of juniors, he broke out with 102 points in 79 games. The eighth overall pick in 2012, Pouliot had the makings to be a star in the league. He has fallen a bit since then as his minor league game totals are quickly approaching his NHL totals.
But nonetheless, he should be a welcome sight on the Phantoms backend and has the experience if the Flyers need another option.