The Flyers salary cap situation gets a little breather with Cote’s 500k immediately coming off the books. With the team’s acquisiton of Jody Shelley and re-signing of Daniel Carcillo, Cote’s role for this upcoming season would have been in an Adirondack jersey anyway.

Now, Riley Cote, 28, will be an assistant coach in Adirondack aside Greg Gilbert and Kjell Samuelsson.

Cote has spent the last six years in the Flyers organization. Cote has played in 156 games for the orange and black, tallying just 1 goal and 6 assists for 7 points. Cote totaled 411 penalty minutes with the 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.

So far, they’ve played the same handful of teams, and are playing Albany a total of 12 TIMES. Yes, 12. The AHL isn’t huge on teams playing outside of their own backyard. This should get old fast. To make matters worse, both teams introduced special jerseys to be worn on the occasion that the two meet, which are visible on their websites and Flickr, because nobody mainstream wants to look at them. From the looks of it, the purple is completely gone, meaning that my sweet purple phantoms third from last year is a waste. Oh, and they got rid of Jeff Szwez too. Sweetastic. I’m sure you’ve seen their current jerseys, but the headshots on AHL.com of the players lead me to believe that they’ve got a retro-themed alternate that mimics the parent club’s current orange beauties. I’ll buy it

Enough griping about the loss of my team, purple, and my favorite player. The team this season looks to be much more defensive minded than those past. Last year, the offense was very run-and-gun, with a lot of goals coming on breakaways and powerplays, while also seeing a lot of goals scored against that same way. Greg Gilbert has seemingly installed a new system to the team which has scoring down, but winning up. The last few seasons have seen rough starts for the Phantoms, but winning 5 out of the first 10 can be seen as an accomplishment. The goaltending looks to be solid as well, which is nice considering that the organization let Munroe (AHL superstar) walk, turning the net over to two rookies essentially. For the record, Munroe is now in a 3-man rotation in net in Bridgeport. Shame on you Scotty. I guess he couldn’t fathom filming another Phantoms Christmas commercial for comedic gold.

So the Phantoms now look to North American rookie Johan Backlund to lead them in net. A standout with Timra of the SEL the past few seasons, the netminder has made a smooth transition to the AHL game. While being one of the older prospects in the system, Backlund has seen some time on the Flyers’ bench with Boucher on the shelf for a small period of time. His first two games were shaky, but he’s been impressive since, registering his first AHL shutout against Syracuse. It usually takes a little time for the European players to adjust to the smaller rink, but it seems that hasn’t hindered Backlund at all. If he continues his hot play, perhaps he gets a look down the road in the Flyers’ net. Nic Riopel has apparently looked somewhat rough, losing all three of his starts, giving up 3 goals each game. With his rave reviews in camp, I think he has plenty of time to show what he can do at the AHL level. He’s still very young.

The defense is stacked in Adirondack. Of course, the departure of Randy Jones certainly opens things up, and will allow more players to take a turn on the blueline. It’s been a rotation to start the season. Of course, as I write this, the Phantoms have recalled David Sloane (ATO with Flyers last season) to jam things up again. So far, it looks like Bartulis has been the best defender, earning a small recall with the Flyers. Oskars seemed to have numerous ups and downs throughout his two years here, but seems to be putting it together in the third year of his contract. His two way play finally seems to be rounding out. Kevin Marshall and Marc-Andre Bourdon have both fit in nicely, making small contributions offensively while staying responsible on the defensive side. I think they’ll both remain in the AHL for the entire season, but this will be a nice gauge of where each of them are in their development. I’m thinking that Marshall is going to stay physical and probably shy away from offense, and that Bourdon will develop a nice two-way game. They’ve got plenty of time.  Joonas Lehtivuori seems to be sort of the odd man out among the prospects, only seeing 6 games. He’s got 1 assist, which is his game, so I’m thinking he needs a regular role to get comfortable and start producing. This is his first taste of AHL and North American hockey.

As for the veterans on the backend, I’m sure Sean Curry is having a better season without the fans getting on him for playing soft. He still seems like the odd man out on this team, being a moderately physical guy who doesn’t skate fast or produce consistently offensively. I’m pretty sure he’s on an NHL contract, so he could possibly be moved to try and clear up some space for the kids. Joey Mormina seems to be fitting in fine. I thought his +37 was a fluke last year, but he’s huge and is valuable to mentoring the young kids. The more I see of him, the more I think this was a fine pickup by the Flyers in the offseason. He’s not going to put up stats, and is actually a player similar to Curry in my opinion. The darkhorse on D, and my personal nomination for Jeff Szwez of the 2009-10 Phantoms is Logan Stephenson. The kid went from Phoenix prospect to journeyman in about one season (Hello Brad Lidge) and is a physical force on the backend. He’s got into 3 games and already has 26 PIMS already, so I’m assuming he’s going to be the aggressive guy on the backend now that Guenin is gone. There’s certainly an interesting crop of styles for Gilbert to mesh together on the backend this season.

So apparently this team doesn’t score a lot, which is surprising, considering the weapons they have. Jared Ross returns this year, as captain, since Boyd Kane apparently loves Pennsylvania a lot. He’s off to a slow start, but he usually picks it up as he gets comfortable. I want this guy to make the NHL roster, because he’s been a blast to watch at the AHL level. Johnny Mats (as I affectionately call him) is leading the team in scoring. I don’t think he’ll produce like this at the NHL level if he ever gets a shot, but it’s certainly nice to see him improve 3 straight seasons for the Phantoms. I just hope he’s finally burying those empty netters.

David Laliberte was at almost a PPG pace before his recall and subsequent superstardom (:D) with the Flyers. He’s got good two way talent and has a great wrister as well. I think he’s a lock to make the roster next season if some of the old guys are ushered out. Patrick Maroon has scored at his usual clip as well. Since I can’t watch the games, I don’t know if he’s improved at all, but I’m hoping that he’s watching what JVR is doing, because he has the frame to mimic it. Krys Kolanos, who is a PPG player at the AHL level, has yet to really bust out in a game yet, but I’m sure it’s coming. He’s got talent to play at the NHL level, as evidenced by Minnesota’s love affair with him last season. He’s going to have to produce to get a shot, however.

In terms of other bright sports, Jason Ward is putting up some good numbers while also filling a leadership role with the Phantoms. If he sees time with the Flyers, it’s going to be as a bottom line grinder, but he’s got the talent to put up points at the AHL level, and will be a key piece for them this year. Stefan Legein was brought in to fill an agitator role, and probably needs a few more games to get comfortable. Jon Kalinski is fully healthy and seems to be fine in his usual two-way role. Andreas Nodl hasn’t put up numbers, but his two way game is of more value to the organization. If anything, I thought his decision making needed work last season. Lukas Kaspar has been fine as a depth forward, and may catch fire at some point, and Ryan Dingle just potted his first goal as a Phantom, appearing in only his 5th game.

Finally, the grinders and tough guys have had a surprising start to the season. The trio of Matt Clackson, Garrett Klotz and Josh Beaulieu has been solid through 10 games so far. Klotz has 2 goals so far, which I’m sure confuses the hell out of most of you, but it’s true. Clackson and Beaulieu have 2 points apiece, and Beaulieu has stayed out of the penalty box so far. Perhaps he’s refining his game as a grinding center instead of an agitator. Klotz and Clackson will be fine doing all the heavy lifting in the fighting dept., as evidenced by their stats. The only other name of note, Rob Bellamy, has only seen 2 games.

I don’t know how many times I’ll write these columns, since I’m not following the team as close, but a 10 game checkup seems fine to me. I’ll keep them shorter and just overview streaks and crappy play, as well as highlight any callups like I did here. Hopefully we see this team come back to Lehigh Valley in the future, so I can get a better grasp of the Flyers’ future. If you have any insight or photos you want to share with WBIO,  or just want to talk Phantoms, drop me a line at arossi417@gmail.com and I’ll be happy to respond.

Lasse Kukkonen is also gone (http://hawk.ru/news/5130.html), after spending 2+ years with the Flyers. This season, Kukkonen registered 11 assists in 26 games with the Phantoms, and even scored twice in the playoffs. I feel he never got a shot with the big club, partly due to the fact that he really didn’t get off of the bottom pairing. His shot blocking is often heralded, but he showed he could carry the puck with the Phantoms, and that given some ice time, he can produce both offensively and defensively. He was great for the Phantoms, also willing to mix it up at times, and certainly made an impression on the younger guys. Good luck to him overseas.

The other losses the Phantoms saw were obviously Luca Sbisa, who was traded to Anaheim in the Pronger deal. Sbisa certainly made the most of his time with the Phantoms, returning just in time to play in the last games of the Spectrum, and also the playoffs. Also leaving is Patrik Hersley, the big Swedish defenseman acquired in the Denis Gauthier trade (http://www.hockeysverige.se/news_show_malmo-varvar-ahl-back.html?id=7731804). Hersley was billed as a two way guy who could lay out opponents, but also score with an accurate, hard slapshot. He spent most of the time on the shelf with a shoulder injury, and only got into 20 games total this season (5 AHL, 15 ECHL with Reading), amassing only 5 ECHL assists. His time in North America has been uneventful, as his steps forward have been marred by injury.  Joonas Lehtivuori also came over at the end of the season, but did not see action. He’s a offensively skilled defenseman who has produced overseas, and should get a shot with the Phantoms this season.

Oskars Bartulis generated a lot of hype with his play in juniors, but his offensive game has yet to transfer over to the professional game. His defensive game has evolved, and his positioning has improved from the prior year, but Bartulis resembles Danny Syvret, another Phantoms defenseman, in the sense that he dominated in juniors, but has yet to make a huge impact in the professional game. He was replaced in the lineup late last year, but played in all 80 games this year, posting 2 goals and 11 assists, while ending up -4 on the year. It’s taking a little longer than expected for Bartulis to develop, but he certainly has the tools to elevate his game and become a top four defender with sound two way play eventually.

Michael Ratchuk is coming off his first full season with the Phantoms. After dazzling fans at the end of last season with his end-to-end rushes, Ratchuk showed a few flashes of that this season. At times, he looked overmatched, as he still learns the defensive game in the pros. His skating and offensive instincts are certainly top-notch, and the kid has a top gear that most on the team can’t match. There are moments when he reminds you of the late 70s-early 80s offensive defensemen who could simply pick up the puck and take it coast to coast. His numbers weren’t great, with 5 goals and 12 assists, but he was the secondary offensive option on the team, which explains the low production. If he doesn’t stick at defense, I could easily see him becoming a forward. His raw skating skills are really promising, and he will be one to watch next year to see if he can put it all together at the AHL level. One of my favorites to watch at times last season.

For the early part of the season, Jason DeSantis was a big part of the powerplay and offensive game from the backend. DeSantis scored once and chipped in with 16 assists this season in 56 games. While he isn’t great defensively, he’s serviceable at the AHL level, and could develop into a solid offensive defenseman at this level. I really didn’t see anything in his game that makes me think he’s going to play in the NHL, but the Phantoms certainly thought so at the beginning of the season, when he saw a lot of ice time with the man advantage. As the season faded on, he became a scratch, and will have to fight for a spot this offseason with all the prospects in camp playing for his spot on the Phantoms.

Hands down, the best defenseman on the Phantoms this year was Danny Syvret. He led the defense in scoring with 12 goals and 45 assists, while finishing +7 on the season. Danny played with Guenin most of the year, and even got a recall to the Flyers late in the season, a reward for his excellent play down on the farm. Syvret finally seems to have figured out the AHL level, and is starting to show the promise that the Oilers hoped he would fulfill when they drafted him. Syvret really does his best work on the powerplay, where he can get open for a one timer, or find the open man down low to cash in. His defensive play was steady all year, and he stepped his game up when it mattered down the stretch. Syvret was honored by being named to the all-star team this season as well. He might have a shot at the big club somewhere down the road, as he is still relatively young, but this campaign will surely turn some heads this offseason.

Sean Curry got a contract from the Flyers last season after a great campaign with the Providence Bruins the year prior. He had 5 goals, 13 assists, and finished -17 this season with the Phantoms. I really wasn’t impressed with his play this season, as it wasn’t what I expected. The year prior, Curry showed a willingness to mix it up, and the ability to put up points from the backend, as he was one of the reasons that Providence had such a great 2007-08 campaign. This season, he looked apprehensive at times, almost afraid to hit players, which really shocked me. I’m also guessing that Curry had more success on the powerplay in Providence. With the Phantoms, Curry seemed overwhelmed at times, and turned the puck over a few times too many. With the pressure put on this offseason for a spot on the Phantoms, it will be interesting to see what happens with him when camp rolls around.

Goaltenders

The Phantoms’ net in 2009-10 will have a new set of goaltenders, as the 2008-09 duo is gone. Scott Munroe has signed with the Islanders (http://islanders.nhl.com/team/app?articleid=433272&page=NewsPage&service=page), after 4 years with the Flyers. While he never got a crack at the NHL level, he did post a .926 SV% last year, as well as a 31-19-4 record this season. His play has been one of the reasons the Phantoms have been in the playoffs the past two seasons. While not flashy, Munroe makes the routine saves and gets the job done, rising to the occasion when necessary. With the Islanders logjam at goaltender, I have a hard time seeing him get a shot on Long Island, which is disappointing. He might be better off going to Europe and carving out a career there. He certainly has the minor league resume to do it, and I’m a little surprised that the Flyers didn’t throw him into a game to see what he’s made of. Hell, Martin Houle even got a few minutes once upon a time.

Jean-Sebastien Aubin looked really average this year, and is headed to Germany next season (http://www.rp-online.de/public/article/duesseldorf-stadt/735887/Vizemeister-verpflichtet-Goalie-Aubin.html). He only finished 10-10-1 on the season, and had a .896 SV%, after dominating with the Portland Pirates last season in a short amount of action. He’s looked better since the lockout, but didn’t seem to be as sharp, leaving a number of rebounds on the doorstep for opposing forwards. The Flyers signed him as an insurance policy during camp anyway, so I didn’t expect too much from him.

Two other goaltenders in the system both saw time with the Phantoms at one point. Jeremy Duchesne spent most of this season in the ECHL with the Mississippi Sea Wolves, and had a bad run, finishing 5-9-2 with a .872 SV& and a 4.80 GAA. While he may be capable of better, his stats from the pro level aren’t great. I haven’t seen him play yet, but it doesn’t look like he has a future with the organization, now that additional goaltending depth has been brought in this offseason. Michael Teslak is the other goaltender in the system, who played for Elmira in the ECHL most of this season. Teslak posted decent numbers, with a 17-9-1 record and a .904 SV%, while also seeing 6 games with the Phantoms, going 2-3 over that span. His positioning needs work, but his numbers so far have been respectable. He may see time as the backup in Adirondack if he plays well this fall in camp.

Well, that’s it for now, but next I’ll be looking at the potential candidates for a spot on the Phantoms, which should be coming soon.

Tweet]]> http://webelieveinorange.com/blog/2009/07/29/a-look-at-the-2008-09-phantoms-part-2/feed/ 0 http://webelieveinorange.com/blog/2009/07/28/gilbert-named-phantoms-head-coach/ http://webelieveinorange.com/blog/2009/07/28/gilbert-named-phantoms-head-coach/#comments Tue, 28 Jul 2009 21:54:48 +0000 Anthony http://webelieveinorange.com/blog/?p=155

Gilbert behind the Marlies' bench.

Greg Gilbert has been named the new coach of the Adirondack Phantoms, the 6th coach in team history, replacing John Paddock, who moved on to the Assistant GM position. Gilbert takes charge of a mostly intact roster, with an incoming class of veteran minor league free-agents, and a few prospects the Flyers have inked this offseason.

Gilbert comes to the Flyers organization with a rather impressive resume. Gilbert had previously served as the head coach for the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, and coached the team to a 123-89-10-18 record over the past three seasons. Gilbert took the Marlies to the Western Conference Finals in 2007-08, but lost to Chicago in 5 games. Gilbert has also served as the coach of the Calgary Flames, from 2000-2003, where he coached the team to a 42-56-23 record.

Hiring Gilbert fills a need predominantly, but also gives the Phantoms a coach who can win with less talented teams, as the Marlies were made up mostly of minor league veterans and grinders the past few seasons. With a talented team, and a cupboard of prospects available to him, it will be very exciting to see just what Greg Gilbert can do with this Phantoms team this season.

In this post, I’ll review the roster from the end of the season, and the outlook for them next season. I’ll discuss the 2009-2010 season in another post when I sit down and figure out who has a good shot of sticking with the club this season. The biggest change to the Phantoms for the 2009-2010 season is their move to the Glen Falls Civic Center in upstate New York. While the Phantoms will still compete in the AHL’s East division this season, it won’t be in front of the purple and orange clad fans at the Wachovia Spectrum. While the departure of the team is somewhat of a disappointment, as is the destruction of the Spectrum in the coming months, the team itself looks to be strong heading into 09-10, with a core group returning, and some new pieces in place. The Phantoms dramatically made the playoffs in their last season in Philadelphia, overcoming Binghamton for the final spot in the East. Unfortunately, they were swept by the Hershey Bears, the eventual Calder Cup Champions. Overall, last season was highly successful for the Flyers’ AHL squad.

Coach John Paddock won’t be returning after being named as Assistant GM of the Flyers. He led the team to a 43-30-7 record this season, getting them into the last playoff spot in the East, where they lost to Hershey in a sweep. Paddock took a relatively young team that struggled early, and matured them into winners near the end of the season, as players like Pat Maroon, Jared Ross, Jon Matsumoto, and Danny Syvret took charge and led the team into the postseason. The Flyers have not yet announced a new head coach for the team.

A Look at the Forwards

I’ll take a look at the forwards not returning from last season first. First off, Nate Raduns is gone, off to Italy with SG Pontebba (http://www.aquile-fvg.it/index.php?op=news&S=521&ret=1). Raduns played a two-way role with the Phantoms last year, seeing action in one game for the Flyers. He mostly centered the third line last season, and saw some action on the PK, but didn’t really put up the offensive numbers that he could have, given his production with Worcester in 2007-08.

Also gone is Phantoms’ captain, Boyd Kane, after signing a deal with Washington (http://theahl.com/news/league/index.html?article_id=10301). He returns to the Hershey Bears, a team he captained to the Calder Cup in 2006. Known for captaining the Phantoms to their 2005 Calder Cup, Kane played a leadership role on the club this year, while still chipping in 43 points. He was also rewarded with a game with the Flyers this season as well. His second tour of Philadelphia ends on a high note, as he served as the last captain in Philadelphia Phantoms history, and was also honored as one of the integral members of the franchise at the Final Game Ceremony on April 10th this year. Personally, I wish him luck, as he’s been a big part of the success of this team, and can still put up the points at this level.

Now, a look into some of the forwards that aren’t under contract for the upcoming season. Josh Gratton was acquired for Tim Ramholt early on in the season, and actually played a number of games with the Flyers, providing a physical presence, as well as a number of entertaining fights. Having watched him put on a show with the Phantoms before, I was excited to have him back in Philly. Gratton would sustain somewhat of a sports hernia mid-season, and was reassigned to the Phantoms upon his return. While playing for the Phantoms, Gratton remained in the enforcer role, but didn’t really chip in on offense, something that he has been able to at the AHL level. Gratton still provided one of the more memorable moments of the season, after engaging Grant McNeill in a fight during the last game of the season. As he skated to the penalty box, Gratton would gesture for the crowd to make a little noise, and they responded, leaving the walls of the place shaking. Good luck to him, wherever he lands this offseason.

Rob Sirianni played 49 games with the Phantoms this season, after being given a standard players contract after his tryout deal expired. After beginning the season with the Wheeling Nailers, and leading the league in scoring at one point, with almost 2 points per game, the Phantoms game Sirianni a look, and weren’t disappointed. With prior AHL experience under his belt (a 6 game stint with Binghamton earlier in the season) Sirianni proved he could hang at the level, posting 13 goals and 12 assists. While he did struggle defensively, he progressed as the season went on, and provided important secondary scoring for the team down the stretch. Sirianni is only 25, and may find another home this offseason, but should play a more prominent role on an AHL club this season.

Jeff Szwez stuck with the Phantoms for the entire season, providing grit and toughness, while contributing 12 goals and 6 assists. While Szwez isn’t the fastest skater on the ice, he seemed to be in a position to make plays all season long, toiling mostly on the third and fourth lines. Szwez become my favorite Phantom this year with a number of plays, from a thrilling fight, to a timely goal for the Phantoms. Perhaps he’s more known for some for the beatings he dished out this year in fights, with Vladimir Mihalik coming to mind almost instantly. He’ll find a home with an AHL club this season looking for a versatile enforcer type for the bottom six forwards, though he does fit the mold of a Broad Street Bully well.

Now the fun part, the returning forwards, and the prospects still on the roster. David Laliberte took a huge step forward this year, sticking with the Phantoms for the entire season after bouncing between Wheeling and Philadelphia all of last year.  He scored 28 times, adding 20 assists. Laliberte emerged as a legimate threat near the end of the season, scoring 6 goals and 8 points over the last 7 games to help the Phantoms into the playoffs. He displayed an accurate wrist shot, as well as a gritty side, engaging in a few scraps, and playing agitator a few times during the season. He is one to watch next season, to see if he develops further into the two way threat that he was projected to be coming out of PEI.  For a guy who missed a year of playing due to a nerve injury, he has shown a lot to make it to this point, and is shaping up to be a steal from the 2004 draft.

Jonathan Matsumoto finished second on the team, and 24th in the league in scoring this year, improving to a 29 goal, 34 assist line for the season. While his offensive game improved greatly from last season, he still has work to do defensively, as he struggled with it early on. He has good playmaking abilities, and scored a fair share of goals. With a more accurate shot, he could have easily scored 5 to 10 more goals this season, as he missed a few wide open nets. He has great speed, but needs to prove that he can play both ways, in order to make it to the next level. Next year will be interesting for him, as he may get a shot at the NHL to see if his minor league numbers translate. He’s not overly flashy, but could develop into a second line center if he develops a little more consistency and works on backchecking.

Garrett Klotz was quite a reach for a third round pick, and made the headlines this year after suffering a seizure after a fight with Kevin Westgarth of the Manchester Monarchs.  While Klotz is more of a heavyweight fighter, he looked awkward at times dropping the gloves last year, and took a few stupid penalties, with a cheap shot on Darren Reid coming to mind.  His skating looks very awkward, and he really was invisible on the ice outside of his fights. I guess he’s going to be groomed to replace Cote, but he’s not even the best fighter on the team, and I have a hard time seeing a place for him in the Phantoms lineup next season with an influx of younger, skilled talent, as well as minor league free agents.

Andreas Nodl has been heralded for developing quickly into an NHL-caliber player, seeing an extended number of games with the Flyers this year. He’s a two way winger with good defensive skills, and solid offensive skills, posting 6 goals and 14 assists. While he seemed poised with the Phantoms, he was prone to turnovers quite a bit, with most of them coming off of poor passes. His two way play is as advertised, and should continue to develop next year, as should his offensive game. He has the talent to put up a few more points next year, but the one thing that I believe he needs to improve is his decision making, in an effort to clean up the sloppy turnover that seemed to plague him with the Phantoms last year. He should be one of the key pieces in both the PP and PK for the Phantoms this season.

The fan favorite from last season, Matt Clackson may be one of the smallest guys on the team, but is without a doubt the toughest. Willing to drop the gloves with anybody, and a willingness to mix it up, Clackson seems to be the next in line to be the sheriff in Philadelphia. With 263 PIMs last season, Clackson’s stats easily depict his style of play, although he did post 3 goals and 6 assists, and didn’t look completely lost with the puck. He did take a number of dumb penalties, and was over-aggressive at times, but there’s no denying that he’s a mirror image of new Flyer Ian Laperriere, and will do anything to stand up for his teammates. As long as he keeps maturing over the next couple of AHL seasons, he could see a spot open up on the Flyers for him, almost the same path Riley Cote, another Phantom favorite took.

Patrick Maroon may have stolen all of JVR’s thunder this season by ascending to the top six for the Phantoms, and became the dominant power forward that some hoped he would be when the Flyers took him late in the 2007 draft. Maroon started off slow, but would go on to post 23 goals and 31 assists, gaining more confidence as the season wore on. With the conditioning concerns behind him, Maroon has solidified himself as a threat to make the Flyers in the next couple of seasons. He isn’t afraid to crash the next, and had a number of wrap around and garbage goals this season, while also playing with some grit. He seems to be well ahead of schedule and is turning heads at rookie camp currently with his strong play. His confidence is higher than ever, and he might not be with Adirondack for long this season.

Though he was injured much of the season, Josh Beaulieu got into 40 games with the Phantoms. While his offensive numbers won’t ever impress, Beaulieu is a bottom six forward who finishes checks, and is willing to drop the gloves when needed. His defensive play needs some work, as he seemed a step behind this season. Hopefully, with the injuries behind him next season, his defensive game will develop further. He may not be more than a future fourth liner, but he certainly can improve at the AHL level the next couple of seasons.

Following in the footsteps of Ducks forward Bobby Ryan, James van Riemsdyk has come along slowly, as most power forwards do. The success of Patrick Maroon, and his quick ascent through the organization has left some wondering why JVR, the second overall pick of 2007, hasn’t already made the Flyers, and more importantly, an impact at the NHL level. His short stint with the Phantoms was unsuccessful, as he only scored once, and provided one assist, and was thrown around quite a bit by the more experienced AHLers. While it is way too early to give up on him, most fans are starting to sour upon seeing his first foray into professional hockey. I still think he has tools to develop into the dominant power forward that he was touted as when he was drafted, and that it’s going to take some time for it to happen. Claude Giroux took a few years before finally cracking the AHL, and took some time before he finally dominated and started taking over games. I’m hoping that JVR follows in his footsteps, and that he will eventually find his confidence and scoring touch at the professional level.

Mario Kempe came over late in the season, after finishing up his year with Rogle in the SEL. A speedy winger, Kempe routinely flew all over the ice, and showed a willingness to drive the net whenever possible. He still needs to develop a shot, as well as his all around game, but he has serious wheels, and will benefit from coming over to the US to further his development. I’d wait to see what his offensive totals are over this season before trying to figure out what his role would be, but for now, a bottom six role with the Phantoms can’t be held out of the question.

Rob Bellamy completed his senior season at Maine, and stepped right into the Phantoms lineup this season as a rookie, playing 51 games. A gritty player who will do the dirty work, Bellamy ended up posting 5 points, but finished -22 on the season, a disappointment for a guy who was supposed to help the PK. He ended up as a healthy scratch for the end of the season, and needs to work on his defensive awareness to be effective next year, as he should be given another shot to fill that same role he did last year. His play at rookie camp has been encouraging, suggesting that he may return to form this season and fill the checking role the Phantoms need him to.

Jonathon Kalinski scored his first NHL goal this season in Vancouver, a nice reward for a hard working player who has developed nicely. Billed as an agitator, Kalinski scored 10 goals and 7 assists this season, while also playing a part on the PK and third line for the Phantoms. He has good speed, and is very aware both defensively and offensively, making him a nice two way threat that can skate very well. He was one of the key players down the stretch for the Phantoms, playing solid defense on the opposition’s top lines. He may be able to claim a spot on the Flyers bottom six soon, as he plays very poised and is smart with the both the puck, and his decision making.

The last guy on the list, and probably the best, is center Jared Ross, who will be 27 when the season starts. His 29 goals and 40 assists led the Phantoms this season. He captained the team with Boyd Kane out, and was the AHL All-Star game MVP after posting a goal and 6 assists.  In terms of offense, he has proven he can score at the AHL level, and netted his first NHL goal this postseason against Pittsburgh. He has great passing ability, and can finish when needed, although he probably doesn’t fit as a top six forward at the NHL level. Defensively, Ross backchecks well, and his +17 was tops on the team. He isn’t afraid to dish out or take a hit to make a play, and could fit well as a third or fourth line center this season with the Flyers, given his skillset. The only concern may be his small frame, but he is a competetior, and possesses those intangibles that players like Mike Richards have, which makes him an interesting one to watch. He’s had an amazing ascent from the ECHL two seasons ago, to the best player for the 2008-09 Phantoms, to a shot with the Flyers this season.

I’ll review the defense and goaltenders in an upcoming post, and then provide the outlook for the potential new members of the Phantoms in 2009-10 in another post.

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