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Montreal Canadiens: A full season of the AHL could benefit Ryan Poehling

By Omar L

LAVAL, QC - NOVEMBER 15: Ryan Poehling #41 of the Laval Rocket skates against the Milwaukee Admirals during the second period at Place Bell on November 15, 2019 in Laval, Canada. The Milwaukee Admirals defeated the Laval Rocket 5-2. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images)
LAVAL, QC - NOVEMBER 15: Ryan Poehling #41 of the Laval Rocket skates against the Milwaukee Admirals during the second period at Place Bell on November 15, 2019 in Laval, Canada. The Milwaukee Admirals defeated the Laval Rocket 5-2. (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /
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Montreal Canadiens, Ryan Poehling
MONTREAL, QC – JANUARY 13TH: Ryan Poehling Montreal Canadiens (Photo by Minas Panagiotakis/Getty Images) /

Poehling gets the puck off the faceoff and heads to the net. He knows he has a player behind him but is also aware of how quickly David Rittich fell to the ice giving up the top of the net. However, there’s still the possibility of a leg raise save from Rittich, which he attempts, so Poehling waits holding on to the puck before finally burying it.

You can also see the skill in his game from his hat-trick goal. His release is quick against Frederik Andersen was also a display of proper puck placement. Not to mention his toe-drag assist on Alex Belzile’s goal against the Florida Panthers in the preseason.

The Montreal Canadiens need to start working on the weaknesses Poehling has that are keeping him out of the NHL while at the same time giving him the opportunity to benefit from and execute on his strengths. A full season in the AHL with the Laval Rocket will do that.

What Poehling could really benefit from is speed and skating training. That will aid his already steady hockey sense as it will give him the means to get to where he needs to be or defensively, be in the right position to defend the ongoing assault from the opposition.

In today’s day and age, skating is everything to succeed in the NHL. Those who don’t have a serviceable level of talent in that area are slowly drawn out of the league. Poehling needs that aspect of his game to improve, and hopefully, he can get those extra reps of training in Laval.

Next. The Habs Bottom-Six Anomaly. dark

A player like Poehling can be a key component for the Habs’ success down the line. He has a solid frame built for the playoffs, but the other tools need to come together as well.

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