Flyers sign Ryan Poehling to 2-year extension
The speedy center joins Owen Tippett as Flyers to sign contract extensions this week.
Ryan Poehling has joined the party.
After winger Owen Tippett agreed to terms on an eight-year, $49.6 million deal with the Flyers, Poehling signed a two-year, $3.8 million contract extension, the team announced on Saturday. The deal carries an average annual value of $1.9 million.
The 25-year-old center previously signed a one-year, $1.4 million deal with the Flyers over the summer after he was not extended a qualifying offer by the Pittsburgh Penguins.
“You know, what the greatest point for me about him is, he signs a one-year deal. I like that. He’s betting on himself,” John Tortorella said about Poehling in November. ”I thought he had a really good camp. The thing that sticks out to me with him, is he can skate. He’s long. He can skate.”
Poehling, a first-round pick of Montreal in 2017, has 14 points (five goals, nine assists) through 44 games this season. The Minnesota native has 25 goals and 25 assists in 182 career NHL games.
“He can help us in many different facets,” Flyers general manager Danny Brière said. “In the summertime, we felt we had the chance to add a bigger body in the age group that we’re looking for, that can maybe come together with our young guys. He’s been a great fit.”
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Known best for his speed, he is also a staple on the Flyers’ penalty kill, which has the second-highest kill rate in the NHL this season. With the Flyers, Poehling has primarily bounced around in an energy role between the third and fourth lines.
“It’s a relatively short term for where he is in his career, so we really liked that he’s betting on himself,” Brière said. “You can see the character, that he believes in himself, and I think that goes a long way.”