Lehigh Valley Phantoms | CollegeHockeyPlayers

Tagged: Lehigh Valley Phantoms

31Mar

Taylor Leier(23) Lehigh Valley Phantoms

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Philadelphia Flyers‘ 4th round pick in the 2012 draft (#117 overall) left wing Taylor Leier(23) is having an impressive rookie campaign with minor league affiliate Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Skating in 63 AHL games with a team that hovers around the .500 winning mark he’s managed to put up 13 goals and 15 assists, while directing 109 shots on net.

The not exactly large 5’11” 177 lbs. forward played his junior hockey with Portland Winterhawks for three seasons, always increasing his point totals to become more than a point-per-game in his final run as captain.

He also won the 2013 WHL Championship and helped his squad with 9 goals and 7 assists in 21 games on the way to the title. They actually almost went all the way a 2nd year in a row taking it to game 7 of the 2014 Finals and close yet again in his first year, making it every year he was with them.

Signed to an entry level deal through 2016/2017, this still young 21-year old definitely is a prospect that looks to bring it forward, but he’s going to have to work every day and want to make it happen.

25Mar

Blair Jones (22)

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Philadelphia Flyers‘ 9th year center Blair Jones(22) has appeared in NHL games in each of his seasons except for 2008/2009, when he skated the full slate of 80 AHL contests with Norfolk Admirals reaching a personal best 34 assists.

A veteran of 132 games in the big league (7 goals and 10 assists with a -18 rating) and 408 in the minors (100 goals, 168 assists with a -38 plus/minus), the 6’2″ 215 lbs. forward hasn’t always been blessed enough to be on good teams but is liked on the squads he’s played with because he skates a rough and tumble style and is tough to play against.

Originally a Tampa Bay Lightning 4th round pick in the 2005 draft (#102 overall), he spent his first 5 and a half seasons in their prospect system before being dealt to Calgary Flames, where he stayed for 2 and a half years before signing his current deal.

He missed 24 games in 2014/2015 due to a groin injury that required surgery and may be a bit of a long shot to return to the parent club but seems to be doing just fine where he is with 6 goals, 11 assists and a +5 in 24 games with Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Where the 28-year old goes next is likely up in the air but it would be little surprise to see him test out the waters on the other side of the hockey pond.

09Dec

Shayne Gostisbehere(14) Lehigh Valley Phantoms

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Philadelphia Flyers‘ 3rd round pick in the 2012 draft (#78 overall) mini-smart defenseman Shayne Gotisbehere(14) had pretty much going his way because of the hard work and consistently aware game he plays.

He was a late cut from training camp and started what may not actually become his rookie season on reassignment to affiliate Lehigh Valley Phantoms putting up some handsome numbers right away, 5 assists in 5 AHL games.

The generously listed 5’11” 170 lbs. blue liner also received his first NHL recall and even though he was returned with a -2 plus/minus he was part of two team wins vs Detroit and Los Angeles.

Approximately 10 days into his joining the farm team for more seasoning, he was hit into the boards awkwardly going around the net and looked to get his leg caught a bit too much behind him as he slid down.

The prognosis was a torn acl, requiring surgery and his return is listed as indefinite.

When and if he does return, possibly some time in the Spring, maybe for any potential playoff runs but both teams aren’t exactly in that running at the moment.

The 21-year old former Union College assistant captain, 2014 NCAA Champion, Hobey Baker finalist, World Junior Gold Medalist is most definitely highly touted from his three-year career at school (averaged 7 goals, 20 assists) and will be sorely missed especially on on the farm team.

Signed through 2017 on a three-year entry level deal, he should come back stronger and probably will only be looking at plane rides in his future.

03Dec

Domenic Monardo(40) Springfield Falcons

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Undrafted 2nd year right wing Domenic Monardo(40) bounced around a bit before heading into his sophomore season.

He re-signed over the summer for another year with Reading Royals, where he spent his rookie campaign scoring an impressive 27 goals and 19 assists in 70 ECHL games but was never called-up.

The not incredibly large looking 5’11” 192 lbs. forward scored an invite to affiliate Lehigh Valley Phantoms training camp and was a late release.

He didn’t head start down the ladder though but instead received an offer to join Springfield Falcons‘ preseason.

He impressed enough in his second camp to grab a roster spot on the opening night roster and was signed to a pto.

In 17 AHL games, he’s scored 7 goals and a pair of assists with a +4 rating, good enough to earn an spc with the team for the 2014/2015 season.

At 26-years old this former Lake Superior State University captain could be turning into a difference maker.

20Nov

Scott Laughton(49) Philadelphia Flyers

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Philadelphia Flyers‘ 1st round pick in the 2010 draft (#20 overall) center Scott Laughton(49) has definitely been on a bit of a ride to rejoin the parent club on recall from affiliate Lehigh Valley Phantoms early in his rookie year.

He was initially summoned after the lockout thawed in 2013 from his third run in juniors but was returned to Oshawa Generals to continue tearing up the score sheet and work on his development.

He was unable to notch a point in 5 NHL games.

He went on to produce more than a point per game and then doubled those stats in 7 playoff contests.

The 6’1″ 177 lbs. forward returned to the pros after his team was knocked out of the postseason and skated 6 more games with farm team Adirondack Phantoms.

He would score his first goal and add two assists.

Continuing his crazy 2013 he was once again in Flyers‘ training camp, already under contract but with the option of being sent back due to his young age.

In a crazy turn of moves, he was set to be on the opening night roster but instead was loaned back to the OHL and he went on to put up career numbers as an assistant captain.

Having just turned 20-years old he was one of the final cuts to be reassigned to start his first official campaign and popped out the gate retaining his scoring touch.

In 13 AHL games he’s struck for 6 goals and 5 assists, good enough to earn that recall and make his sixth appearance in the show.

Used on sparingly, skating 12 shifts for 7:00 minutes of ice time in a 2-0 blanking.

With some additional time out there he should be able to contribute as he plays a speedy style with plenty enough tenacity and has a scoring touch that just needs to break though on the highest level of hockey.

13Nov

Rob Zepp(72) Lehigh Valley Phantoms

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14th year goaltender Rob Zepp(72) has taken quite the path to signing his first NHL deal over 10 years after he inked his last one with draft team Carolina Hurricanes.

He was selected, for a second time, in the 4th round of 2001 (#110 overall) after his initial pick in again the 4th round of 1999 by Atlanta Thrashers (#99 overall), but was never signed by the team before being returned to the draft pool.

The back stop played in the ‘Canes‘ system for four years mostly reassigned down to Florida Everblades of the ECHL with only 7 AHL games with the long gone Lowell Lock Monsters.

After a one-year extension, he decided he’d had enough of North American hockey and split for a pair of stints in Finland’s Liiga with SaiPa.

From there the 6’1″ 195 lbs. net minder moved to Germany’s elite league DEL coming to terms with Eisbaren Berlin Polar Bears and his game started to take off.

He stayed with the team for seven seasons, playing over 40 games each year, 50 in 2009/2010, 5 league Championships and was named European Best Goalie twice (2011, 2013).

With his stellar play he was definitely getting noticed back home but it was in the lockout shortened 2012/2013, when a pair of Philadelphia Flyers‘ players joined him for a brief spell that conversations about bringing him back really started to gain traction.

The 33-year old signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Flyers for 2014/2015 that had will likely have him play in his first regular season NHL game but most of his time should be spent in between the pipes for affiliate Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

In 8 games he’s already making an argument for recall going 5-2-1 with a 2.75 GAA and .910 SV%.

This follows an impressive training camp, where there were murmurs that he could easily steal the back-up job but for now he provides great insight as a mentor for their rookie in the minors and may even turn goaltending coach when he decided to hang up the skates.