Going into free agency, the Philadelphia Flyers were never going to be big players. They weren’t going to be in the market for any long-term deals or players that could potentially block what they already have. Anyone they signed was going to be a short-term stopgap or a young player they could take a chance on.
Ryan Poehling to Philly 1 x $1.4M
— Jeff Marek (@JeffMarek) July 1, 2023
And that’s what they did with Ryan Poehling. After not being qualified by the Pittsburgh Penguins before yesterday’s deadline, he headed to free agency. The Flyers are bringing him in on a one-year deal worth $1.4M. He ends up getting a bit of a raise from the 750K contract he was previously under.
Poehling doesn’t have much NHL experience under his belt, just 138 games during parts of four seasons. He did spend the entire season with the Penguins this year, appearing in 57 games and recording seven goals and 14 points overall.
It might be difficult to reach this puck because it's way up there on the top shelf! 😉 pic.twitter.com/W6dUafmHU3
— Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) March 26, 2023
He battled health issues throughout the year, limiting his overall effectiveness toward the end of the season. He was a regular on the Penguins’ PK and could often use his speed and size to be a disruptive player. He’s only 24-years-old so taking a flyer on him for just one year is a low-risk type of deal for the Flyers. He will battle as a depth piece, likely on the fourth line. The team needed to add some depth at center so Poehling fulfilles that.
If it doesn’t work out, he can just be buried in the minors like Philadelphia did with Kieffer Bellows at times. His numbers in the AHL aren’t anything to write home about either as he has 19 goals and 44 points in 71 games, all for the Laval Rocket. But again, with the Flyers not contending for the next few years, they can take a chance on some younger players that may just need different opportunities in order to succeed.