Flyers make disappointing Ryan Poehling IR move after dirty hit
Yesterday at 03:40 PM
Philadelphia Flyers forward Ryan Poehling was on the receiving end of a dirty hit to the head from New York Islanders’ Maxim Tsyplakov on Thursday night, and the team placed the 26-year-old on injured reserve on Monday.
“That type of situation with a head injury, there’s ups and downs, day to day,” Philly head coach John Tortorella said, per NHL.com’s Adam Kimelman. “Haven’t checked in with Tommy [Alva, head athletic trainer] today, but I’m not sure what the timetable is. Those things I leave up to Tommy and [Poehling] and they’ll come to me. I think each day he’s getting better.”
Although the hit was not called a penalty on the ice — and social media was divided on the illegality of the check after the game — Tsyplakov received a three-game suspension from the NHL Department of Player Safety for an illegal check to the head, per Kimelman.
Maxim Tsyplakov is expected to have hearing with Department of Player Safety for this hit on Ryan Poehling, per @StapeAthletic.
The hit was NOT called a penalty after review. #Islespic.twitter.com/iz9dMJUdlD
— NHL News (@PuckReportNHL) January 17, 2025
Tsyplakov delivered the hit to Poehling in the first period of the contest — the Flyers went on to win the game 5-3. Poehling didn’t play in a 3-1 triumph over the New Jersey Devils on Saturday, and will be out at least a couple more days after the IR move.
Originally selected No. 25 overall by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2017 NHL Draft, Poehling scored 28 points in 77 games in his first season in Philadelphia in 2023-24. This year, he’s chipped in four goals and 15 points in 43 contests.
In a corresponding move, Philadelphia recalled forward Rodrigo Abols from the American Hockey League’s Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The 29-year-old could be an option as soon as Tuesday night against the visiting Detroit Red Wings; he’s managed 19 points in 34 AHL games.
“Just keep my game simple,” Abols said after Monday’s practice, per Kimelman. “It’s a dream come true get an opportunity to play here, so make the most of it and use the strengths that I have and see from there.”
Despite Poehling’s disappointing injury, the Flyers have been playing some great hockey in 2025.
Flyers playing some of their best hockey of season
After a disappointing first half of the 2024-25 season, the Flyers have been excellent since the calendar flipped to January. Philly has won two games in a row and four of five dating back to January 11.
Samuel Ersson looks healthy and he’s been terrific between the pipes as of late; the 25-year-old has won each of his last four starts, while allowing just seven total goals in the process.
As of Tuesday, Tortorella’s team is 21-20-6, good enough for sixth place in the Metropolitan Division. They’re currently just four points back of the final wildcard berth in the Eastern Conference, but it’s turning into a logjam.
Although the playoff chances still aren’t great, the way the Flyers are playing, there is certainly an avenue for this team to advance to the dance in three months time.
Philadelphia will look to continue making up ground in the East against another team right in the thick of things in Detroit on Tuesday. Puck is set to drop just past 7:00 p.m. ET from Wells Fargo Center.
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