The Phantoms went 0-1-1-1 this weekend. They’re 1-3-1-1 on the season and have outshot their opponents in five of the six games by a total of 224 to to 161 but have been outscored 23-15.
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Samu Tuomaala
Tuomaala posted a goal and two assists in three games this weekend, keeping his point-per-game pace through six contests. He is a -5 on the season so far, which is tied for worst on the team with Helge Grans, but he’s been pretty easily their best forward when it comes to producing offense.
Alexis Gendron
Gendron made his season debut on Sunday and posted a goal and assist. Much like last season, he isn’t getting much ice time, but he’s been very effective when he suits up. Maybe this spark will keep him in the lineup for their next few games considering scoring has been at a minimum thus far, but right now the shortcomings fall on the coaching staff for not utilizing him.
Olle Lycksell
Lycksell posted two assists this weekend, his first two points of the season. It’s been an uncharacteristically slow start for Lycksell, but it’s a trend in a positive direction for the third year forward.
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Ethan Samson
Samson had an assist and a -3 rating in three games. All of the -3 came during Friday’s game and he was even on both Saturday and Sunday while his assist came on Saturday. He’s been utilized in a much larger role this year than he was last and overall is showing signs of growth in a regular top four spot despite the score sheet being a bit shaky.
Hunter McDonald
McDonald registered two assists, one on Friday and the other Sunday, and had a fight on Saturday. The rookie remains an interesting prospect, but he quickly appears to be one of those defensemen that is either going to play his game -and in the process takes penalties- or tries to play straight but becomes less effective in the role. There are reason’s to keep track of McDonald, but the ball is in his court to develop into a well rounded player in order to take that next step.
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Helge Grans
Grans is pointless with a team-worst -5 rating though six games. Visually, he actually seems to be far more active overall this season than he was last, but it’s not coming through on the stat sheet. He’s been playing on the left side, his off-side, for much of the season so there’s some reason for any potential struggle, but his overall stock as an NHL prospect feels pretty low these days.
Ronnie Attard
Attard didn’t play on Friday and has yet to register a point on the season and is a -4 in five games. After a pretty clear middle finger from Torts and the Flyers, it sure seems as though Attard himself doesn’t see much of a reason to try all that hard at the AHL level.
Elliot Desnoyers
Desnoyers had an assist on Friday, but was scratched on Sunday. He seems less lost in the woods than he was last season, in fact, his two points already is one-eighth of his total from all of 2023-24, but he certainly doesn’t look like the player he did during his rookie season either, which isn’t good for his NHL dreams.
Massimo Rizzo
Rizzo still hasn’t played a game yet this season. There’s been no mention of injury keeping him off the ice, so assumingly it’s the coach’s decision to not play him, which isn’t great considering he’s theoretically one of the more interesting forward prospects on a roster that can’t buy goals at the moment.
By: Dan Esche (@DanTheFlyeraFan)
brotherlypuck.com 