Montreal Canadiens Re-Sign Ryan Poehling to Two-Year Contract
Montreal Canadiens centre Ryan Poehling has agreed to terms on his next contract with the organization.
The 22 year old who was a restricted free agent has signed a two-year extension. His cap hit will be $750,000 each of those two seasons if he sticks with the big club.
An interesting wrinkle in the contract is that it is a two-way deal in year one, meaning he earns less if he is sent to the AHL, but it is a one-way contract in the second year.
Poehling has only played two pro seasons so the Canadiens can send him back to the Laval Rocket in the 2021-22 season without having to expose him to waivers first. In the 2022-23 season, Poehling would need to be put through the waiver wire before heading back to the minor leagues.
Of course, after a strong 2020-21 with the Laval Rocket, it is hoped that Poehling’s days on the AHL buses are behind him.
The 2017 first round pick of the Canadiens led the Rocket in scoring, putting up 11 goals and 25 points in 28 games. He played most of the year on an excellent two-way line with wingers Joel Teasdale and Joe Blandisi. While Poehling offered a lot offensively for the Rocket, he is even better defensively, as shutting down top opposition became routine at the AHL level.
With Phillip Danault and Eric Staal gone from the lineup that went to the Stanley Cup Final, there is a hole down the middle that should be filled by Poehling. Nick Suzuki will certainly play on the top line, but there will be a battle for ice time between Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Jake Evans and Poehling as well as veteran Cedric Paquette who was added for depth purposes.
It will be interesting to see how far Poehling can climb up the depth chart in the upcoming season, but there is no question he will make himself a regular before exposing him to waivers is ever an issue.
The $750,000 cap hit will make him easy to squeeze into the lineup, no matter how tight the Canadiens come to the salary cap. After a strong AHL year, expect Poehling to earn his way into the opening night roster and work his way up the lineup throughout the season.