Dallas Stars draft prospect report: Ryan Poehling

If Ryan Poehling had gone the a more traditional route he likely wouldn’t be an option late in the first round.

Had he stuck in the USHL this past season he would likely have had gaudy numbers and it would be easier for teams to judge him against his peers. Instead, Poehling made the early jump to the college ranks and played as a 17-year-old (he turned 18 in January) for St. Cloud State.

It was an opportunity for Poehling to play with his older twin brothers, Nick and Jack, who were also freshmen this past season as 20-year-olds after spending time in the USHL.

Because of his early jump to college Poehling was always battling uphill. He was playing against older players, some as much as five or six years older, in a very difficult conference and there was a learning curve.

Eventually he adjusted to the pace of the game and finished his freshman season with 13 points (7 goals, 6 assists) in 35 games at St. Cloud State. When he played against his peers at the World Under-18 championships he was even better and had five point in seven games for the Americans.

Even with limited usable tape for a fair analysis against his peers (before playing against older players in college he was simply dominating high school competition in Minnesota), Poehling has the makings of a two-way center.

He’s more of a playmaker than a goal scorer and has shown off an ability to create open space for his teammates. Poehling does have impeccable hands and was a weapon for St. Cloud State tipping pucks and creating chances on deflections this season.

He’s also a smart player and his competitiveness shines through in his game. He’s got the intangibles that coaches look for and he’s going to grow into his 6-foot-2 frame (currently he weighs in at 185 pounds).

Patience will be a virtue for Poehling. He was the youngest player in college hockey last season and should make major strides as a sophomore after growing a bit more comfortable in the college game. Depending on his progress he’ll likely spend all four years at St. Cloud State and will be an AHL option in three seasons.

At times you could make an argument that Poehling should be a top-15 pick, but there are a lot of unknowns surrounding the center that teams are trying to figure out.