The Philadelphia Flyers have decided to put Ryan Poehling on injured reserve and call up Anthony Richard from Lehigh Valley.
Coach John Tortorella mentioned that Poehling is dealing with some injuries and a family issue, so he won’t be traveling with the team. The last time Poehling played was against the Boston Bruins on November 2nd, where the Flyers lost 3-0. During that game, he was on the ice for 11 minutes and 41 seconds, which is almost two minutes less than his average playtime this season.
Poehling has participated in twelve games for the Flyers, achieving five assists and maintaining a plus/minus rating of plus-two. Now stepping into his shoes is Anthony Richard. In seven games with Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Richard scored four goals and assisted five times, earning nine points with a plus-three rating. He impressed during training camp but was eventually sent down to Lehigh Valley after being one of the final cuts.
Player Dynamics: Speed vs Physicality
Richard brings speed and flexibility to the team as he can play all forward positions . However, he faces competition from Nicolas Deslauriers for a spot in the lineup—one offers physical strength while Richard provides agility. Fans might wonder who will make it into the lineup more often.
During preseason matches, Richard had two goals and two assists across six games but ended with a minus-three rating. Despite this setback, he’s now getting another chance to prove himself at a higher level.
In sports like these where strategy counts as much as skill does—who would you choose for your team?
