Poehling ready to play outdoors again at Stadium Series for Flyers

Ryan Poehling is looking forward to playing an NHL outdoor game for the first time when the Philadelphia Flyers face the New Jersey Devils in the 2024 Navy Federal Credit Union NHL Stadium Series at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, on Saturday (8 p.m. ET; ABC, ESPN+, TVAS-D, SN1), but it won't be the first time he plays hockey inside an NFL stadium.

During the 2018 IIHF World Junior Championship, Poehling played in that tournament's first -- and only -- outdoor game, helping the United States to a 4-3 shootout win against Canada at New Era Field, home of the NFL’s Buffalo Bills, on Dec. 29, 2017.

Poehling played 23:33 at center on a line with Brady Tkachuk and Joey Anderson and won eight of 17 face-offs.

On Saturday, he’ll play at the home of the New York Giants and New York Jets.

"It was snowing like crazy," Poehling said. "The stadium was like half-packed for probably the first period or two because there was so much snow that I think there was a huge traffic jam. ... Towards the second and third (periods), it kind of filled up and got a little better of an atmosphere. That was a fun experience.

"For us to get a chance to do that, and do it in their stadium, I think it's pretty fun. You won't get many chances like that so you've got to make the most of it."

Poehling understands that well. Last season with the Pittsburgh Penguins, he was preparing to play in the 2023 NHL Winter Classic when he sustained an upper-body injury and was placed on injured reserve Dec. 28.

He practiced the day before the game but wasn't in the lineup for the Penguins' 2-1 loss to the Boston Bruins at Fenway Park.

"I got to do all the fun stuff outside of the game, but not playing the game, which was tough to see," Poehling said.

He won't have that problem for this season's Stadium Series game. The forward has 17 points (seven goals, 10 assists) in 49 games this season, matching his NHL career high, and has scored three of the Flyers' NHL-best 12 short-handed goals.

Coach John Tortorella said he didn't need long to trust Poehling's ability to play anywhere in the lineup. The one question he had was, could the 25-year-old stay healthy; Poehling never played more than 57 games in his first four NHL seasons. But the five games he's missed this season have been as healthy scratches.

"I talked to a number of people that have coached him before," Tortorella said. "We knew that he was a smart player. We knew he could kill penalties. The biggest thing for me is [whether] he could skate. So, that opens up more doors for him in today's game. As [training] camp went on and as I watched him play, I trusted him right away because I think he can think the game.

"The biggest thing I was worried about is, he just seemed to be hurt a lot. Knock on wood, I don't want to jinx him, but he's handled himself really well. And that was a concern, that he just missed a lot of time."

Poehling certainly has answered those questions, and the Flyers rewarded him with a two-year, $3.8 million contract ($1.9 million average annual value) on Jan. 27.

After playing his first three NHL seasons with the Montreal Canadiens and one season with the Penguins, Poehling has a defined role with a team he enjoys playing with in a city that feels like home.

"I've always just been bouncing around and wanting to find a home and build something special," he said. "And I think this is the group. It's a perfect fit for me. We've got a lot of young guys and I like what we have as a culture and what we're building. So, I think it's a great spot for me."

And a great opportunity to finally play an NHL outdoor game.

"I think it'll be a fun experience for everyone," he said. "The biggest thing is just to enjoy it. It's a game and it's a big one. But at the end of the day, you don't get too many opportunities like that, so I think for me I'm just going to try to take it all in and enjoy the moment."