Powe, 25, is a rarity in today's NHL. And it's not his Ivy League degree in sociology from Princeton that sets him apart.
Powe is undersized (at 5-11) for a grind-line winger. He was undrafted out of college. But he caught the eye of former Flyers coach John Stevens, who helped mold him into the role he fills today.
Sometimes when a coach like Stevens is fired, players like Powe lose their jobs, too.
Instead, Laviolette has found him to be an integral cog among the Flyers' working parts. Powe has carved out a nice living for himself with the Flyers.
"He's one of those players that can play all three positions on all four lines," Laviolette said. "He can play on any line and bring his strengths to that line. He's able to get in on the forecheck and separate pucks from people. He can be a presence in front of the net.
"He's a powerful guy. He's one of those energy guys that seems to play hard every night. But for me, since I've been here, he's been a pretty consistent player."
For the Flyers to take a different path to the postseason - read: not relying on Brian Boucher to stuff the Rangers' Olli Jokinen on the last attempt of a shootout on the final day of the regular season - they will need to be more consistent.
General manager Paul Holmgren - who already had a stacked roster - found a way to keep Powe, an unrestricted free agent this summer, in the mix. Powe never forgets to pack his blue-collar style in his equipment bag.
"I try and follow the same routine every day," Powe said. "There are always days when you're not feeling good, but you need to just go through the same thing and make sure that you're ready at the drop of the puck. I try and give my best effort every night."
