Photo Credit: AHL.com
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms announced that they’ve signed forward Owen McLaughlin to an AHL contract (specifically an SPC, or Standard Player’s Contract) for the remainder of the 2025-26 season.
- McLaughlin, a 22-year-old (born March 25, 2003) from Phoenixville, Pennsylvania (a Philly-area native), was the Flyers’ 7th-round pick (206th overall) in the 2021 NHL Draft.
- He just completed his senior season at Boston University (after transferring from North Dakota), where he had 5 goals and 12 assists for 17 points in 34 games this year.
- This is an AHL deal directly with the Phantoms, not an NHL entry-level contract with the Flyers. His NHL rights with Philadelphia expire on August 15, 2026—if not signed to an NHL deal by then, he’ll become an unrestricted free agent.
- He’ll be loaned to the Reading Royals (ECHL affiliate) this weekend to start, per the Phantoms’ announcement.
This move allows the local product to turn pro immediately after college and join the Flyers’ system at the minor-league level. It’s a nice homecoming story for a player who’s shown solid playmaking in college but is still developing (listed at 6’0, 175 lbs).
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