The Phantoms went 2-1-0 this week, earning a home victory over the Belleville Senators 3-2 on Wednesday, then beating Rochester in a shootout 3-2 on Friday before losing 3-2 at home to the Americans on Saturday. They’re now 19-15-5-1 on the season and in fifth place in the crowded Atlantic Division standings.
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Helge Grans
Grans had two goals and an assist in three games last week. It was nice to see a bit of resurgence from Grans, who had cooled down a bit since the start of January. If the Flyers’ blue line wasn’t so crowded, it be worth recalling him fro another NHL stint, but just like everybody else, he’s stuck in the AHL no matter how much improvement he continues to show.
Ethan Samson
Samson scored a goal on Friday and had seven total shots on goal through three games. He also stood out physically on Saturday as well. His offense has cooled a bit in the new year compared to how he started the season, but he’s starting to stand out in other aspects of the game as well. He may not be ready for an NHL recall yet, but based on where he started at the beginning of his rookie season last year to where he is today, it’s remarkable growth and he’s probably got more to give as well.
Anthony Richard
Richard had two power play goals and an assist last week. Richard may skirt the lines of a “prospect” but considering he missed a month with an injury and Olle Lcyksell’s extended visit to the NHL press box, the Phantoms desperately needed his scoring presence back on the team.
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Jacob Gaucher
Gaucher recorded a pair of assists, one of which was on the power play, in three games. It was nice to see Gaucher get back on the score sheet as he had just one goal in the previous 11 contests. He’s up to 25 points in 40 games.
Alexis Gendron
Gendron posted two assists, one on the power play, on Wednesday. He’s second on the team in goals (11) and fifth in points (18) through 33 games this season. Gendron has been a pretty consistent source of offense since the start of December when he was finally let out of the Lappy doghouse and if the Phantoms could ever ice a lineup at full strength, it’s safe to assume he has another level to reach.
Zayde Wisdom
Widsom went pointless through three games last week. He’s never been the biggest scorer, so it’s not surprising his heater is coming to an end, but he’s still getting a decent amount of ice time and has been noticeable in both the offensive and defensive zones. The Flyers ignore their top prospects, so their secondary guys are really screwed, but it’s absolutely worth noting that Wisdom as seemingly gotten his career back on tract at the professional level from what was a rough couple seasons the last two years.
Rodrigo Abols
Abols posted a goal and an assist on Wednesday. Considering Abols hasn’t played in North America since before the pandemic, he’s been a pleasant surprise for the Phantoms offense. He’s up to 19 points in 34 games, which is tied for fourth on the team in scoring with Anthony Richard.
Elliot Desnoyers
Desnoyers posted an assist on Friday. Desnoyers has seven points in his last nine games, which is over half of his 12 total points on the season. He has never been able to achieve the peaks of his rookie season again, but he’s been much better than the disaster he was last season. It doesn’t bode well for his status as an NHL prospect, but at least he has leveled out to serviceable AHL player.
Adam Ginning
Ginning went pointless through three games last week, but he was very noticeable in the defensive zone on Wednesday and Saturday, which is one of the few times we’ve been able to say that all season. He did go +4 in those three games and was plenty physical especially on Saturday. Ginning is never going to be the most detectable player on the ice or the highest scorer, but in the past he typically managed to stand out in a positive way more often than just disappearing into the background like he has most of this season. So maybe this week was a positive trend for Ginning to get back to his peak.
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Emil Andrae
Andrae hasn’t played a game since January 11 and was seen entering the PPL Center in crutches on Saturday. Neither the Flyers or Phantoms have made an acknowledgment about the injury, but it’s definitely not a great sign that he missed a second week of action and needs assistance getting around. Prospect injuries are unfortunate, but prospect injuries occurring on AHL ice when they shouldn’t even be down there is infuriating.
Massimo Rizzo
Rizzo went pointless in two games last week and missed Saturday’s contest for an unknown reason. It was the first time since December 12 he went pointless in back to back games and given he started the season on IR, an absence for him is slightly concerning. It could be nothing, it could be something. Who knows.
Samu Tuomaala
Tuomaala did have a power play assist on Saturday, but his goalless drought has reached 19 games. He still holds the team lead in points with 26 in 36 games, but he’s quickly being pursued by Gaucher and would’ve been left in the dust if Lycksell hadn’t spent the last three weeks in the NHL. He’s also far and away the team-worst +/- clocking in at a -17. Hopefully he’ll score a goal soon and once the bad luck is broken he’ll get back to the level he was at at the beginning of the season, but it’s officially time to start worrying about Tuomaala’s ceiling in North America.
By: Dan Esche (@DanTheFlyeraFan)
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