Phantoms Update pt. 2

The Phantoms currently sit 4th in the East Division (last playoff spot) with a total of 38 points through 38 games. While that seems okay, this was a team that was on the upswing at the start of training camp, yet has underachieved, scoring the lowest amount of goals in the league. While AHL scoring is down as a whole, the fact that this team doesn’t score goals is somewhat concerning.  There isn’t a lot to get excited about, looking at the team right now. Jon Matsumoto leads the team in points with 31, good for 26th in the league. However, Stefan Legein is the only other player in the top 100 AHL scorers from the Phantoms. Many players have underperformed this season, with the only real bright spot being Danny Syvret making the squad out of training camp, and Oskars Bartulis sticking with the big team.

Stefan Legein has been a revelation. After quitting hockey, he got into 26 games last season and scored once for Syracuse. This season, the Flyers handed over Mike Ratchuk for him, a trade that has worked well for the Flyers.  Legein has scored 16 times (18 overall) in 32 games for the Phantoms, and has provided an offensive spark for the team. I’m personally excited to see him get a shot with the big club. Matsumoto has also consistently scored, but won’t see any time with the big club if a top 6 spot doesn’t open up. Legein’s edgy play may allow him to see some time in the bottom 6.

If there’s positives, David Laliberte made a great impression in his first few games with the Flyers, scoring twice in his first two games. He won’t score a PPG, but wouldn’t be a bad option on the second line in the future, and has displayed some grit in the past. Jon Kalinski also saw time with the Flyers, and fits as a fourth-line center with some agatating capabilities. He’s not replacing Blair Betts, but the job could be his in the future. Jared Ross’ NHL highlight this year was being boarded by Patrick Kaleta. Nodl played a few games, but is still not putting up numbers as a professional.

The only other prospects worth mentioning have been average. Pat Maroon has added toughness to his game, and is still scoring at a good clip. He suffered somewhat of a bad injury against Albany, but has bounced back. He might see a game or two this year, if he’s developed a defensive game. He’s still got a good shot to make the club in the future. Marc-Andre Bourdon has started to put up some points, but started off slow. He garnered accolades in the QMJHL, but it will be interesting to see how he develops. The same goes for Kevin Marshall, who has been seemingly average, yet still physical. Both are in their rookie professional seasons, and have plenty of time to develop. Hey, Bartulis came out fine, so I have hope.

Overall, the team seems lackluster. I’m still bitter they aren’t right in the Broad Street backyard of old, but that doesn’t change the fact that the team has underperformed, and needs to have a offensive makeover for the second half of the season. It’s going to be interesting to see how Legein, Matsumoto, and Maroon fare, as well as the continued development of Marshall, Bourdon, Laliberte, and even Kalinski. While none are sure locks for the future, it’s a nice mix of 2nd line types, and two way defensemen that are going to complement the veteran top line pieces that the club has assembled. It’s been tough gathering info on the team this year without being able to watch them, so I hope this helps you guys keep up on the prospects down on the farm.

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