Latest news with #Phantoms
Time of India
24-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
Ian Laperrière's exit as Phantoms coach sparks bigger questions for Flyers' future
Laperrière's exit sparks Flyers' development shift (Image via: Getty Images) Ian Laperrière's four-year run as head coach of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms is reportedly coming to an end, according to a Daily Faceoff report. While he will remain with the Philadelphia Flyers organization in a different capacity, this coaching change raises important questions about the future of the Flyers' AHL affiliate and its role in developing NHL talent. How Laperrière's departure could impact Flyers' development pipeline — ADiMarco25 (@ADiMarco25) Laperrière's tenure with the Phantoms wasn't marked by deep playoff runs or Calder Cup glory. Instead, his focus was on steady player development, transforming prospects into NHL-ready contributors. Under his leadership, the Phantoms successfully helped transition players like Cam York, Sam Ersson, Bobby Brink, and Tyson Foerster from promising prospects into dependable Flyers. This steady production of talent is critical for any rebuilding NHL franchise. The Flyers are currently entering a new phase of their rebuild, one that demands faster results and impact players. GM Danny Brière has emphasized the importance of producing NHL difference-makers, not just players who can fill roster spots. This means the Phantoms' next head coach will have to push player development to the next level while maintaining the hard-working, gritty identity Laperrière instilled. Known for emphasizing work ethic, accountability, and consistency, Laperrière's coaching style reflected the Flyers' traditional toughness. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Trade Bitcoin & Ethereum – No Wallet Needed! IC Markets Start Now Undo The next coach faces the challenge of balancing that grit with possibly introducing new strategies that align better with Rick Tocchet's vision for the NHL club. This decision will influence the development style and identity of the Phantoms moving forward. Despite the coaching change, the Phantoms' roster remains promising. Players like Emil Andrae and Anthony Richard showed they're ready to take the next step, while prospects including Jett Luchanko, Alex Bump, and Oliver Bonk are poised to make an impact in the near future. The Flyers' focus on drafting high-skill, high-character players makes having the right development system in place even more crucial. Also Read: Connor McDavid makes NHL history with playoff stat that even 'The Great One' Wayne Gretzky couldn't match Laperrière's continued role within the Flyers organization suggests his input will still shape the team's future. However, this coaching shift signals a critical moment for the Flyers' development pipeline as they aim to build a competitive NHL roster. Change is part of hockey's development cycle, but the Flyers' choice for the next Phantoms coach could be a defining factor in their rebuild and the road to becoming a playoff contender. Get IPL 2025 match schedules , squads , points table , and live scores for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
Yahoo
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Phantoms trade 1st round pick for young Florida star
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – The Youngstown Phantoms have given up their first-round pick in the 2025 USHL Phase I Draft for young Florida star Logan Anderson. Watch above for an extended interview with the new member of the Phantoms. 'Really an honor and I'm really fortunate enough to be with such a great organization,' said Anderson. 'I've been working with them for a while and showing interest in them.' The Fort Myers native played 56 games last season for the Florida Alliance South 15-Only team. He recorded 48 goals and 43 assists for 91 points last season. Those totals led his team in all three categories. 'It's going to be awesome to be playing with all these really good players that are bigger, faster, stronger to really help me develop my game,' said Anderson. Each USHL team is allotted two tenders per season and have to trade in its first or second round draft pick in the USHL Phase I Draft for the upcoming year. Anderson will be the 14th tender signing in the Phantom's history. The Florida native joins a long list of former Phantoms who had this tender used on them, then made it to the NHL. 'The goal is really to make the NHL,' said Anderson. 'It's just always been a dream of mine since I was a little kid.' The most prominent former Phantom is Winnipeg Jets forward Kyle Connor, who was drafted in the first round of the 2015 NHL Draft. Other former Youngstown players who had the tender used on them and were drafted to the NHL were Curtis Hall (Boston Bruins, 2018) and Trevor Kuntar (Boston Bruins, 2020). Even more have had stints in the NHL, minor leagues, and international leagues. Last season, the 16-year-old joined a Youngstown team that advanced to the USHL Eastern Conference Semifinals with the No. 1 seed. 'My game is a really physical, strong player. I love the physicality of the game,' said Anderson. 'Coming into this league with bigger and better players, I won't be getting very many hitting penalties as much as I did.' The Phantoms ended the 2024 regular season with a record of 42-18-0-2 for 86 points, best in the Eastern Conference. 'They have a great legacy every year, they're really good,' said Anderson. 'They've won the Clark Cup, so I think I want to come in here, have a really good season, and let's win it all again.' Anderson said he will be fully moved into the Valley and start training with the Phantoms as early as June. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
27-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Flyers' Jett Luchanko Thriving in First True Playoff Experience
Top Philadelphia Flyers forward prospect Jett Luchanko is coming into his own during his first postseason experience as a pro player. Luchanko, 18, is far from a finished product, especially offensively. It may very well take him until his mid-20s to reach his ceiling in that department, but we'd be remiss to ignore the very obvious flashes the Flyers' 2024 first-round pick is displaying in the Lehigh Valley Phantoms' Calder Cup playoff run. Believe it or not, Luchanko has made the OHL playoffs with the Guelph Storm before. Twice, in fact. The first time was his D-1 season in 2022-23, and the second was in his D0 (draft year) season in 2023-24. The 18-year-old had only 14 points in 46 games in the 2022-23 season, which was his first season in the OHL. Luchanko and the Storm lost to the Sarnia Sting in six games in the first round, wherein the then-fledgling had one assist. The Storm allowed no fewer than four goals in five of the six games, and lost the first three games by scores of 5-0, 5-4, and 8-4. And, it is worth noting that Luchanko went without a shot on goal in each of the last three games of the aforementioned series against the Sting. Despite the two wins, it was really not much of a competition. Last year, Luchanko's Storm saw the Soo Greyhounds come in and sweep them in four games, notwithstanding Luchanko's three assists in three games to start the series. Now, after having already made his NHL debut with the Flyers, Luchanko is in the midst of his first real playoff experience. One where Luchanko and the Phantoms have something to play for, and where games flat-out mean more for everyone. Many of these AHL players, on the Phantoms and on other teams, are fighting for jobs. Those jobs may be in the NHL or the AHL, but they are jobs. Luchanko himself is a candidate to make the Flyers outright again next season, but he, like his teammates, has to earn that and fight for that. This Calder Cup run is the best place for the Flyers' top forward prospect to strut his stuff before the real fun begins in training camp a few months from now. So far, the London, Ontario, native is taking advantage in a big way. In two playoff games with the Phantoms, Luchanko has racked up four assists, hastily surpassing the three assists he had in nine prior AHL regular season games. Sure, the eight penalty minutes in two games is a minor issue, but everyone would rather Luchanko be involved in plays than not, for better or for worse. Aside from his readily apparent blazing speed, Luchanko has consistently flexed his playmaking chops. In a 5-2 Game 1 win against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on April 23, Luchanko showed one of the many things he can do at the peak of his powers. Picking off a Penguins defensive zone turnover at his offensive blueline, Luchanko took possession of a loose puck and wheeled down the right wing boards, eventually gaining the zone 1-on-4. After using his speed to circle deep into the zone and behind the net, Luchanko pulled up at the left circle, whipping a pass through five Penguins defenders and teammate Garrett Wilson to find Anthony Richard at the right circle for a one-timer goal. JETT LUCHANKO OH MY GOODNESS. WHAT A CROSS ICE FEED TO ANTHONY RICHARD.#LetsGoFlyers — Flyers Clips (@Flyers_Clips) April 24, 2025 This element of Luchanko's game has been a strength of his since the Flyers drafted him in June, but the two question marks that need the most work are his shooting and consistency. In 15 professional games between the Flyers and Phantoms, Luchanko has yet to find his first pro goal to complement his seven assists. For instance, Luchanko failed to record a shot on goal in the Game 1 against the Penguins referenced above despite recording two assists on the evening. In Game 2, Luchanko picked up another two assists, including the secondary helper on the game-winner scored by defenseman Helge Grans, while also adding three shots on goal. Before this, Luchanko had gone three games in a row without a shot on goal. Good or bad, this is all useful information for the Flyers. The more Luchanko plays, the easier it will be to pick up on his habits and pick things out to improve or continue. In Game 2, for example, Grans enters the zone on his own before executing a drop pass to a trailing Luchanko. After pivoting inside, Luchanko makes a nice heads-up play to find Richard cutting to the back post. Some players might opt to pull up and shoot a puck through heavy traffic, but it is clear that Luchanko's first offensive instinct is to defer and look for another pass. Grans backhand no look game winner from HIS KNEES?! Are you SERIOUS?!#RallyTheValley | #LVvsWBS | #LVPhantoms — Lehigh Valley Phantoms (@LVPhantoms) April 26, 2025 This works out for Luchanko, as he has the skill to pull off such a high-difficulty pass to create a big scoring chance for his teammate. He gets bonus points for the assist, as Grans was able to turn around and swat a juicy rebound into the goal to win the game. At the NHL level, Luchanko will have to add more wrinkles to his game to thrive on the stat sheet, but at the AHL level, his vision, speed, and passing abilities are too hot for the average player to handle. Luchanko's processing speed and decision-making have shown clear progress, and perhaps the Flyers' top forward prospect is willing himself to an even higher gear in these playoff games. These are the kind of things a Flyers organization starved of playoff hockey wants to see from its up-and-coming players. Which players want to be here and want to succeed here? Who can push themselves and their teammates to another gear when the stakes are raised? Right now, it looks like Luchanko is indeed a prospect capable of accomplishing this in Philadelphia, and that has to be an encouraging feeling for this Flyers front office.
Yahoo
16-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
‘Addicting': Phantoms ready for 2nd title in three seasons
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – The Youngstown Phantoms have spent the past week practicing as the team secured a First Round bye and No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference USHL Playoffs. Watch above for extended interviews with Phantom's head coach Ryan Ward and players. 'Once you win and you start winning, you see you can win a championship it becomes a little addicting,' said Ward. Coach Ward isn't a stranger to titles as he won the USHL's title, The Clark Cup, in his first season as head coach of the Phantoms in 2022-2023. 'With the grit, we just wear other teams down so they don't even want to play against us,' said defenseman Coleson Hanrahan. 'Then our skill, obviously we're just making plays and putting the puck in the back of the net.' The Phantoms have also broken a list of records in the current regular season. Youngstown finished with a franchise record in season wins with 42 and home wins with 23. 'Our fans are the most passionate in the USHL and being in Youngstown, representing this city, it's something that we all take a lot of pride in,' said Ward. The Phantoms also tied the team record for most points in a season with 86. 'The fans here all year have been amazing,' said defenseman Luke Osburn. 'It's awesome to have them at the game, at least for the first two.' Youngstown earned home-ice advantage throughout the playoffs and will start the second round at home in the Covelli Centre. 'There's a few guys that have never played in a playoff game, so they're pretty jazzed to just to get it going,' said Hanrahan. 'I think they're excited just to maybe get a hit or something. Just get the crowd into it.' Phantoms players have also broken individual franchise records. Osburn broke the record for most goals scored by a Phantoms defenseman with 18. Goalie Melvin Strahl broke the record for most wins as a Phantoms goalie with 33. 'Our message is nothing's changed and we're just going to go out be prepared to do our jobs, said Ward. 'Hopefully, we can build on the success in the regular season. But it's a new season, you have to have short memories and we're just going to have to to really dig in there.' Youngstown finished the regular season with a record of (42-18-0-2) with 86 points. The Phantoms will play next on either Friday, April 18 or Saturday, April 19 at the Covelli Centre against an undecided opponent in the Semifinals of the Eastern Conference USHL Playoffs. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
13-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Phantoms earn No. 1 playoff seed with insane goal
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – The Youngstown Phantoms have clinched the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference in the USHL Playoffs after a dominant 6-1 win against the USA National Team Development Program on Saturday afternoon at the Covelli Centre. Watch above for a highlight reel lacrosse-style goal from the Phantoms' Adam Benák and extended highlights Youngstown also earned a first-round bye in the playoffs with the victory. The Phantoms Ryan Rucinski (19) completed a hat trick with three goals in the win. Rucinski scored two of his goals in the second period. Youngstown's Peter Cisar (13), Adam Benák (17), Luke Osburn (10) also scored in the win. Osburn's goal grants him the most goals scored by a defenseman in Phantom's team history. The Phantoms rattled off three goals in the second period and two in the third to win. In this win, the Phantoms have broken the most team wins in a regular season with 42. Also, Youngstown tied the team record for most points in the regular season with 86. Youngstown ends the regular season at 42-18-0-2 with 86 points and leads the Eastern Conference. The Phantoms will start in the second round of the USHL Playoffs on April 11 or 12. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
