The Lehigh Valley Phantoms faceoff against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Thursday at 605pm. Lots of eyes will be watching some of the bull dog prospects within the Flyers system, and many believe the Phantoms will have a good year due to such. Isaac Ratcliffe will not be able to play due to a Fractured Rib/Collapsed Lung, and he should be ready to go in a few weeks per Flyers General manager Chuck Fletcher (He said this on Tuesday). Moreover, Fletcher also provided an update on Wade Allison who just had ankle surgery, so he will be out the next 4-5 weeks. So who should Flyers fans pay attention to tonight against the Penguins?
Tanner Laczynski:
After watching film on Laczynski from this past season at Ohio State, he looked like a player of the future. He was confident, good with his hands, and physical. This is exactly the prototype player that the Flyers are in need of right now. Laczynski stands at 6’1″ and weighs 205 pounds, and he provides size down the Middle or on the Wing if need be. Believe it or not Laczynski is also a good board battler, and his engine never stops running.
It’s no secret that the Flyers have been restocking the farm system for the past few years. In the end Fletcher pulled it off and was able to sign Laczynski. Major kudos to former General Manager Ron Hextall for plucking this hidden gem in the sixth round of the 2016 draft.
Linus Sandin:
Sandin was amongst the league’s highest goal scorers with 19 last season in the SHL. This smooth skating Winger in Sandin finished the season with 19g,17a in 51 games played for HV71. This 23-year-old Winger in Sandin stands at 6’1″ and weighs 209 pounds, and would immediately provide much needed size on the Wing. Sandin can board battle with the best of them, as well.
He bops and weaves in between defenders, and can out skate just about anyone given his size. This young man in Sandin has really made a name for himself, as he has hands of Gold, after potting goal after goal. He plays in all situations to include the Penalty Kill and Power Play, Sandin is also an intense competitor. Sandin is the real deal, and the Flyers are very familiar with the HV71 team (Felix Sandström played for HV71). He is the older brother of Rasmus Sandin, and is from the same town as Robert Hagg.
Yegor Zamula:
As a young 20-year-old, Zamula doesn’t look out of place one bit. Yes, he has some rawness to him as he stands at 6’3 and weighs 176 pounds. However, Zamula played like a player who was on the verge of making the team outright in an unusual Summer training camp last year.
The young 20-year-old defenceman in Zamula has a great hockey IQ. He is fast, plays with an edge to his game, is an offensive minded defenseman, and doesn’t shy away from physicality especially with driving players into the boards. Overall, Zamula is a stud, that just needs to work on building muscle. He may be a little undersized in terms of muscle to compete with the rigors of a full 82-game NHL season, but that shouldn’t deter success at the AHL level.
Wyatte Wylie:
Wylie is a great skater and stick handler for that matter. He remains calm and poised, as he is very rarely out of position defensively. Hextall selected Wylie to help aide the Flyers with transitioning out of the zone, but more importantly join the rush when he sees fit. The Flyers will need speedy right-handed defencemen in the future, as the name of the game in the NHL is speed. There is no doubt Wylie can eventually be that speedy spark to amp up the offense, but play a sound defensive game, as well. The good thing about Wylie is he can play both sides effectively.
Linus Högberg:
Högberg really established himself as a quality puck moving defenseman last season in 2019-20, while playing for the Vaxjo Lakers in the SHL. He became much better in transition, and Högberg was able to exit the defensive zone cleanly, whether if it was by pushing the play up the ice, or looking for a quick pass to exit the defensive zone. For the season, he recorded five goals, and nine assists in 50 games played in arguably the third toughest league in the World.
Zayde Wisdom:
The Flyers made a trade to get into the Third Round of the 2020 NHL Draft after trading away their third round draft pick to the San Jose Sharks last year. The Flyers selected a physical goal-scorer in Zayde Wisdom, who compiled 29 goals, and 30 assists for 59 points last season for the Kingston Frontenacs. It appears Wisdom has been a Philadelphian for a while one would think:
“I always knew Philly was in consideration. I play their type of hockey. Big body. The Broad Street Bullies as they’re known. Big body, kind of gritty hockey. They’re always there for me in my mind. I was like maybe these guys. It was never strong or anything like that. I had no clue who I was going to in the draft. No clue who I was going to coming into this. Super excited to hear my name by the Broad Street Bullies for sure.” – Zayde Wisdom said on draft day
Tyson Foerster:
Flyers’ General Manager Chuck Fletcher had multiple options, and good ones, at pick 23 in the first round of the 2020 NHL Draft. He chose to select a sniper with a dynamite shot in Tyson Foerster.
“I feel like I play a similar game to T.J. Oshie. I can be out there in any situation and score some goals too. I feel like he’s a good player comparison for myself.”- Tyson Foerster
Foerster is a beast in Junior hockey while playing for the Barrie Colts, as he razzles and dazzles opponents. He also torches opposing Goaltender’s on a nightly basis, as well. Goaltender’s are usually left banging their sticks on the Cross Bar of the net after Forester beats them.
Felix Sandström:
Sandström appeared to have a bit of a hard time adjusting to the North American rink size, and had trouble with his confidence throughout the first half of his first Pro season. He did see time with the Phantoms, as he was called up multiple times, due to Alex Lyon getting nods with the big club. Sandström rode the bench, while Ustimenko started for the Royals. He finished the season with a 13-11-1 record, with a 3.27 GAA, a .885 Save Percentage, and two shutouts. Sandstrom managed to win what would be the final game of the season in a 5-1 victory against the Wheeling Nailers on March 10, 2020, however, he only managed to play in one of the last five games of the season, as fellow teammate and netminder Tom McCollum got red-hot. Sandström also played in one game for the Phantoms, actually just 19 minutes in one of his multiple call-ups to the Phantoms, and he made seven saves on seven shots faced.
The young netminder in Sandström just didn’t seem to move laterally post to post as smooth as I have seen in the past. In addition, he had a hard time tracking the puck, but he proved that he was finally 100% healthy. Sandström also may have struggled with the call-ups to the Phantoms. Getting into a rhythm is huge for a Goaltender, and Sandström may have had a hard time readjusting to the ECHL.
He hopes to build off last season to hopefully put forth a good 2020-21 season for the Phantoms or Royals. If I’m a betting man I could see Sandström starting out the season with the Royals, and then possibly getting a call-up to the Phantoms for good. Fletcher may not want to start the season off with two young netminders with the Phantoms, as Lyon may leave for free agency. Fortunately, the Flyers can allow him time to learn the game the right way, and remain patient with him. Do not give up on this promising netminder Flyers fans, Sandström may blow the doors off camp, and the season next year. Every prospect is different in terms of how they grow, netminders usually take a bit more time than Forwards or Defensemen to bloom. Let’s have patience, and see how it goes.
Pascal Laberge:
A forgotten prospect, it was unfortunate to see Laberge make his way to the Reading Royals in the early part of the new year in 2020, however, he was sent there for playing time, and consistency in his game. Laberge scored in bunches, and at other times he was not as noticeable on the ice for the Phantoms. However, do not give up on this young 22-year-old in Laberge. He finally got into a nice rhythm finally for the purple, as he tallied six goals, to go along with six assists for 12 points in 24 games played.
Laberge eventually found a home in Reading. He finally looked like that young prospect who played for the Tigres, and was a 2016 draft pick that the Flyers hoped when former General Manager Ron Hextall drafted him. Laberge established confidence, and one could see it with the way he handled the puck, and skating with the Royals. He was finally a confident player that could pick apart opposing teams netminders in the ECHL. Laberge has an accurate wrist shot, and can pick his spot on the net. One could tell he was finally having some fun again.
Matthew Strome:
The young 22-year-old prospect worked hard in the off-season, in what would be his first Professional season of hockey. Last season, Strome saw time with the Phantoms and the Reading Royals, as he currently stands at 6′4″ and weighs 205 pounds. He can board battle and forecheck effectively, as Strome tallied two goals and two assists with the Phantoms in 19 games played. Strome killed it with the Royals by potting 9g,11a in 25 games played, as he appeared to regain some confidence before the season was suspended to the Coronavirus.
This should be a fun pre-season game for the Phantoms. They open the Regular Season on Saturday February 6 at 4pm against the Hershey Bears.
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