Prospect of Interest: The 411 on Ryan Poehling

Sam Cosentino joins PTS to discuss that there isn’t an Auston Matthews or Connor McDavid calibre type player in this year's draft but players that are versatile that can slot into a 2nd or 3rd line.

What does Ryan Poehling have in common with NHLers Jonathan Toews and Nick Bjugstad?

Yes they are all centres, but there’s something else.

Each of the three bypassed their final year of high school to attend college.

The decision worked out in the long run for Toews and Bjugstad, but will it do the same for Poehling?

Here’s a closer look at the prospect.

Age on June 23: 18
From: Lakeville, Minn.
Current Team: St. Cloud State, NCAA
Position: Centre
Shoots: Left
Height: 6-foot-3
Weight: 185 pounds
NHL Central Scouting Rank (North America): 13

Jeff Marek’s Take:

“Struggled at times as a true freshman, but by the end of the season we saw a good skater who understands the game at each end and was able to play a consistently aggressive game.”

Building the resume

Poehling graduated high school early so he could enter college and play with his older twin brothers Jack and Nick.

“With schooling, there’s a lot of responsibilities because you’re away from home,” Poehling told the St. Cloud Times in this excellent May 2016 feature. “What pushed me forward was my brothers will be coming in next year and we have great chemistry with each other and that pushed me to go.

“Those are two guys to look up to and follow and, on the ice, we play well together. I’m excited to go there with my two brothers.”

Honored to announce that I will begin my collegiate hockey career at St Cloud this upcoming fall! Excited to be playing with these two again

746 Likes, 44 Comments – Ryan Poehling (@ryanpoehling) on Instagram: “Honored to announce that I will begin my collegiate hockey career at St Cloud this upcoming fall!…”

At age 17, he was among the youngest players in college hockey and in some cases was competing against men in their early-20s. That comes with obvious challenges, but also valuable learning experiences that could aid in his development as he approaches the NHL.

As well, it’s worth noting that his decision to enter college early brought off-ice challenges, such as advanced academics and missing out on the typical endeavors of a high-school senior.

“We started from a human perspective,” said his father Tim about the decision. “When we looked at things academically, that became a yes. How about socially? And then we got comfortable with that. We talked to various sources in the hockey world and whether or not he was ready for that. It checked all those boxes and it was something he really wanted to do.”

Scout’s take

Poehling added to his development curve with a recent stint at the IIHF World Under-18 Championship, where he won gold with Team USA. He contributed three goals and five points in seven games.

Sportsnet’s Jeff Marek has Poehling listed at No. 23 on his top 100 draft rankings, while NHL Central Scouting has him as No. 13 among North American skaters.

David Gregory of Central Scouting offered up his take on the young centre to NHL.com in January.

“I think he has great range,” Gregory said. “He’s got a nice long, strong stride. Uses good puck protection, long reach. He can be effective in traffic, out of traffic. I like his vision and where he creates. … You can see growth. When he plays with better people he gets better. Really nice upside with this player.”

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