Newcomers Marc Staal, Ryan Poehling explain why rebuilding Flyers were a desirable destination

Marc Staal has played 16 seasons, been an NHL All-Star, and made the playoffs 11 times. At this point in his career, he’s ready to have some fun — and he decided Philadelphia is where he wants to do it.

Staal is fully aware the Flyers are rebuilding. He knows they probably won’t be competing for a Stanley Cup next season. And he understands they might want to give their youth a chance over him as a 36-year-old. He’s OK with that.

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“I don’t expect a role or really have myself penciled in anywhere,” Staal said Wednesday in a Zoom call with the media. “I’m going to go to camp, practice hard, work hard, and then see where it goes. ... I’m just going in with an open mind and just a nice, positive attitude, and just going to go out and have some fun and compete with these guys.”

Staal listed several reasons why Philadelphia was an attractive destination, despite the fact that he’d be moving from a Stanley Cup finalist in Florida to the seventh-worst team in the league. For one, it’s much closer to Connecticut, where his family lives. Staal was born in Thunder Bay, Ontario, and he played for the New York Rangers for 13 years.

For five of those 13 years, Staal played under coach John Tortorella. Reuniting with him was another pro for Staal. That was a long time ago, Staal acknowledged, and he knows he’s a different player now and Tortorella probably is a different coach. But they kept in touch over the years, and Staal hopes he can be an extension of Tortorella’s coaching in the locker room now that he has signed a one-year deal with the Flyers.

As a Ranger, Staal played against the Flyers often. While an opponent, he appreciated the passion of the fan base and the atmosphere in the Wells Fargo Center. He said the players he knows around the league who have played for the Flyers enjoyed their time in Philadelphia, so he’s looking forward to joining the storied franchise.

In his NHL debut as a Montreal Canadien, Ryan Poehling hit the ice with Nicolas Deslauriers by his side.

“Deelo was my wingman,” Poehling, 24, said in a Wednesday Zoom call with the media.

Now, they’re reunited as Flyers, after Deslauriers signed on as a free agent in 2022 and Poehling signed Saturday.

Poehling has played in 138 games over four seasons. He has collected 20 goals and 16 assists over his career while playing primarily as a fourth-liner. Deslauriers played as a Flyers’ fourth-line winger last season, and Poehling most likely will slot in as the team’s fourth-line center. In other words, the band is getting back together.

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Poehling also knows Noah Cates from growing up in Minnesota and playing AAA hockey together. He’s not surprised Cates took off last season and said he’s looking forward to playing on the same team again — especially after being rivals in college when Poehling represented St. Cloud State and Cates played at Minnesota Duluth.

The opportunities Cates has been given are representative of the organization’s focus on its youth, and Poehling is excited to play a part in the rebuild.

“I’ve always, throughout my life, wanted to be a part of something special, be a part of something that starts from the ground up,” Poehling said. “And I think this is an opportunity to do just that.”

Over his four-year NHL career, Poehling has struggled to play a full season. He looks forward to proving himself in Philadelphia, especially under a coach like Tortorella who respects hard work. He thinks his style will complement Tortorella’s.

“I love getting the puck deep and getting to work and putting pressure on the other team and then using my speed to kind of create offense,” Poehling said. “So I think those two things are going to be key for my success next year.”