Derrick Pouliot Exactly What Doctor Ordered For Phantoms

The NHL's annual free agency period began Friday with a lot less "frenzy" than in years past in terms of big names and big money contracts.

That was especially true for GM Chuck Fletcher and the Philadelphia Flyers on Day 1, as they have yet to officially announce their lone signing Friday - the widely reported addition of defenseman Derrick Pouliot to a one-year, two-way contract ($700k/$425k per CapFriendly). Though Fletcher confirmed the signing in his Saturday afternoon media availability.

"[He's] a young man that's played games in the NHL, can certainly challenge and compete for opportunities at the NHL level," the Flyers GM said of the Pouliot signing. "Pouliot, I think, was a really good depth signing for us and a guy that can certainly play [NHL] games but if he's in Lehigh [Valley] will help that team and help our young players get better."

While Matt Niskanen's sudden retirement has changed the outlook for the Flyers' blue line, Pouliot's addition is more about replenishing organizational depth on the blue line.

Andy Welinski was not retained, and signed a one-year contract with Anaheim Friday. Neither was stay-at-home defender Reece Willcox, who remains an unrestricted free agent entering Saturday.

Mark Friedman, though previously re-signed to a two-year extension, is expected to compete for a full-time NHL roster spot in training camp.

Pouliot, 26, fits the bill in terms of being a capable call up option for the Flyers - having 202 games of NHL experience under his belt - while also being an offensive-minded defenseman that can be heavily relied upon at the AHL level to play top-pairing minutes and quarterback a power play.

In terms of the Phantoms' needs, Pouliot is a great fit.

His 39 points (seven goals, 32 assists) in 58 games with the San Antonio Rampage were sixth in the entire AHL among defensemen last season.

More importantly, where was most of his offensive damage done? On the power play, where the Phantoms last season were dead last in the league last season with a 10.6% success rate. Pouliot's 22 power play assists were second most in the AHL in 2019-20.

"While's down in the AHL, he's a guy that can quarterback a power play," Fletcher said of Pouliot, a guy the Phantoms haven't had on the back end since the beginning of T.J. Brennan's tenure back in 2016-17. "Our powerplay in Lehigh [Valley] last year struggled. We have a lot of really good young talented forwards there and having a guy like Pouliot who can bring the puck up the ice, who can QB your power play we think will help unlock some of their offensive potential and allow the team to be more productive."

Projecting The Phantoms Defense

Note: Working under the assumption that, for now, the projected NHL blue line has Ivan Provorov, Travis Sanheim, Shayne Ghostisbehere, Phil Myers, Robert Hagg, Justin Braun and Mark Friedman as their seven defensemen.

An early look at the projected Phantoms depth chart on defense simply based on :

Derrick Pouliot - Chris Bigras Yegor Zamula - Nate Prosser Tyler Wotherspoon - Wyatt Wylie Linus Hogberg

Initial Thoughts: If the Flyers add an NHL defenseman in free agency and don't trade any of their other defenders, it sets up Mark Friedman at least beginning the season on the Phantoms and giving them eight defensemen and balance with four on the left side and four on the right side - though Lehigh Valley will likely add a few AHL depth defensemen on AHL contracts somtime down the line before the 2020-21 AHL season begins, whenever that ends up being.