The Lehigh Valley Phantoms when 1-0-2 this week and now sit 4-4-2 on the season.
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Samu Tuomaala
Tuomaala had a goal and three assists in three games last week. Don’t look now, but the 20-year-old former second round pick now has eight points in 10 games on the season. He’s looking more and more comfortable with the North American game by the week and could work himself back into top prospect territory if his keeps up this pace for a few more months.
Olle Lycksell
Lycksell did Lycksell things this weekend when he scored two more goals, bringing his total up to eight in 10 games. He hasn’t racked up a single assist yet, but that’s to be expected when he’s scoring all the team’s goals. He easily leads the Phantoms (nobody else has more than two) and is alone in second place in the AHL goalscoring race behind a three-way tie in players with nine. The Flyers may soon have no choice but to give Lycksell a chance on the main roster if their offense remains anemic.
Elliot Desnoyers
After only registering one goal and two assists in the first seven games of the season, Desnoyers racked up four points, a goal and three assists, in three games this week. “The Destroyer” had a rocky start to the season after an early demotion from the main roster training camp, but he started to look like his old self this weekend, hopefully a sign of better things to come for the rest of the season.
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Helge Grans
Grans managed to get his second assist of the season, and first point in seven games on Saturday night. After much fanfare regarding his arrival in an offseason trade with the Kings, Grans hasn’t done much to earn the spotlight in Lehigh on a clogged defense corps. His play hasn’t been bad, but also not great.
Adam Ginning
Ginning had a goal and assist this week, but also went -3 in the process. It’s been a real mixed bag when it comes to the performances Ginning is turning in with his responsibilities slowly getting bumped up in Lehigh. He’s up to five points in 10 games but is also a team-worst -6, which is a huge chance from his team-leading +24 he finished last season at.
Mason Millman
Millman got his first taste of AHL action of the season and produced two assists in three games. The former 103rd overall pick back in 2019 racked up 45 points in 63 games with the Reading Royals in the ECHL last season but has only seen 29 AHL games in his career despite the success. He filled in for a sick Ronnie Attard this week, but when everyone is healthy he’ll probably go back to Reading.
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Emil Andrae
Emil Andrae missed all three games during the week recovering from a concussion he sustained last weekend. It sounds like he should be ready to return sometime soon, either on Wednesday or Saturday.
Ronnie Attard
Attard missed all three games with an illness. There’s been something going through the Phantoms’ locker room as a few players missed time with an illness the last few weeks, most notably Tanner Laczynski, who returned to play this week after missing the previous weekend’s games.
Wade Allison
Last week Allison was returned to the Phantoms top line after spending the early days of the season in Ian Laperriere’s doghouse, but he was down on the third line Wednesday and Friday before getting scratched on Saturday. The season from hell for Allison continues, and there’s a good chance he himself wishes some team claimed him on waivers during the preseason.
Ethan Samson
Samson went -4 this week and has just a single assist on the season. He’s only eight games into his professional career, so it’s expected that he’s adjusting to the game, but his point-per-game pace in juniors had the bar higher for him than he’s delivered thus far.
By: Dan Esche (@DanTheFlyeraFan)
brotherlypuck.com 