Philly Leader

With the 2024 Rookie Camp commencing and the Flyers' main camp just a week away, the final installment of our Offseason Spotlight series focuses on one of last season's notable performers: center Ryan Poehling.

Last summer, Poehling's NHL career faced uncertainty. As an unrestricted free agent after the Pittsburgh Penguins decided not to tender him a qualifying offer, Poehling signed a one-year, $1.4 million contract with the Flyers. His strong performance during the season earned him a two-year extension worth $1.9 million annually, starting in the 2024-25 campaign.

Now 25 years old, Poehling appears to have found stability with the Flyers organization. He will enter the 2024 camp with a secure roster spot and the trust of head coach John Tortorella, as well as an established line combination with veteran Garnet Hathaway.

Towards the end of last season, there were multiple games where Poehling's line was utilized as Philadelphia's second line in terms of usage at 5-on-5. Although their primary role over the season was as part of the fourth line, Poehling demonstrated versatility by adapting to various situations without changing his playing style.

"I felt comfortable here almost right away," Poehling said in an Exit Day interview with Flyers Daily. "The group we have, the identity we have when we play our game, it's been a good fit."

Originally selected by the Montreal Canadiens in the first round (25th overall) of the 2017 Entry Draft, Poehling’s hat trick in his NHL debut may have initially set high expectations for his career. Since then, he has shown glimpses of offensive potential (including 11 goals and 28 points for the Flyers). Hathaway believes that Poehling’s offensive contributions can further improve.

"I see at practice a lot and during games [that] Poehls has skills," Hathaway said. "He can check, obviously, but he has an offensive game too. I think he's a very easy linemate to play with."

Poehling’s blend of above-average size, speed, solid foundational skills and strong work ethic has secured him a niche in the National Hockey League. He came to Philadelphia highly recommended to Tortorella by Pittsburgh head coach Mike Sullivan for these reasons.

"Right from the get-go, I was impressed that Poehls signed a one-year 'prove it' deal to come here," Tortorella said on January 26. "He bet on himself. In terms of his game, yeah, he has good feet as well as size. He plays the right way and he's one of those players a coach doesn't have to worry about."

Last season saw Poehling achieve new NHL career highs with an average ice time of 15 minutes per game (which increased further over the final month) and his first double-digit goal season. He was regularly featured on penalty kills (scoring three shorthanded goals) and occasionally on power plays near the net.

Poehling has shown effectiveness using his 6-foot-2 frame and agility to maneuver from perimeter positions inside toward hash marks for scoring opportunities. On several occasions last season, such moves resulted in goals via elevated bar-down shots over goalies from close range.

Poehling posted a faceoff win rate of 49.1 percent for the Flyers last season—a personal best so far—though there remains room for improvement. As he enters what should be his prime years as a well-rounded NHL player, there is potential for him to surpass this benchmark.