Philadelphia Flyers 2023 UFA Overview
The Flyers went into free agency attempting to acquire veterans to fill holes in the NHL/AHL roster for the 2023-24 season.
They accomplished this mission for the NHL with the three depth signings of Marc Staal, Garnet Hathaway, and Ryan Poehling. Three low-risk, inconsequential signings that had some fans questioning the new regime.
I don’t understand the outrage. I’m not saying Danny Briere is a wizard and these signings are 4D chess moves… I’m saying they really don’t matter.
Flyers: *sign a solid depth player to fill a hole in a nothing year*
Fans: WHAT? THIS IS THE NEW ERA?? This is a Chuck move not a rebuild move!
Guys we’re talking about Garnet. Hathaway.
— Danny (@TLYDanny) July 2, 2023
None of these three players will act as a roadblock to a deserving young player despite what people think. Ryan Poehling is only 24 so he is young himself.
You can’t deploy a team full of 24-year-olds and expect it to grow into a team of winners. Someone has to get in on the ground floor of their careers and help show them the path to success. If the Flyers felt like this would hamper development, they simply would not do it.
All three will not even be here when Matvei Michkov arrives and we all know that’s when it matters the most. They will be flipped for assets to then help us as we enter our window, and the effects of their presence in the room will be felt after they are gone.
Garnet Hathaway is a 31-year-old forward who is known for his physical tendencies on the ice. He’s 6’3” and isn’t afraid to fight on any given night. More importantly, his presence is felt on the ice and a team full of young kids having Hathaway and Deslauriers to stand guard doesn’t sound that bad. He’s not a terrible hockey player either.
Marc Staal is a 36-year-old defenseman whose best days are definitely behind him. He’s more of a shutdown defenseman who was far more effective in his heyday, but still is the kind of guy to lay it all out blocking a shot at the end of the game. I wouldn’t be surprised if Staal was ineffective for the Flyers, but I don’t think they signed him for his play rather his familiarity with Tortorella.
Ryan Poehling is a 24-year-old center who is an elite penalty killer. He’s going to kill a lot of penalties for this team and be slotted into a limited-depth role. Poehling played with Deslauriers in Montreal for a minimal time and I can expect to see them try that combination again.
These aren’t flashy signings and were never meant to be such. If a young player can’t beat out one of these guys, they may not deserve the spot on the roster. Staal, Hathaway, and Poehling alike will all be in roles a rebuilding franchise wouldn’t want their developing players in.
Someone has to do the grunt work and lead the way on a captain-less team. Flyers fans may even like some of these players as they start to see why they were brought in.
Overall they are solid depth signings in my opinion. Not good, not great. It’s certainly not worth getting yourself worked up over. After all, the plan isn’t to win now, and losing games helps the franchise acquire more talents to put around Matvei.
Flyers re-sign Attard, add Mete.
Mandatory Credit: NHL.com
