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It’s another “Kid’s Day” in the Queen City of Allentown, and a great day for hockey!

But it’s also another early-season Sunday afternoon game.  We’re not Hershey.  I don’t know why they agreed to this scheduling…it’s great for families, but so many and so early is puzzling during football season.  Providence is in town today for Haunted Popcorn Day! (?)

Looking Back

Throwback weekend was a bit hit-or-miss last time out.  The Phantoms got Crunch’d on Saturday night and then came back Sunday for a hard-fought win, shutting out a tired Belleville team who was completing the tour of Pennsylvania (Wilkes-Barre, Hershey, Allentown) in one weekend.

Then up to Rochester Friday night for our first look at the Buffalo affiliate.  The Phantoms lost to the ‘Merks 6-3 in a game that didn’t feel that close as we followed along.  It was the first road loss for the season, by the Phantoms, and their first time wearing the “road” orange jerseys.

Roster Update

F Jacob Gaucher has been up to the Flyers and back to the Phantoms this week.

The captain, F Garrett Wilson, has returned from the Flyers.

Help on defense, D Hunter McDonald returned yesterday

The young bucks, Bump, Knuble, and Bonk, remain with the Flyers, and probably will for the foreseeable future.

Lines In Rochester Friday

91 Grundstrom 77 Luchanko 56 Gaucher

12 Aston-Reese 23 Studnicka 90 Pautov

25 Foote 9 Thompson 10 Goyette

17 Wilson 74 Wisdom 15 Powell

4 Murchison 42 Gill

92 Edward 44 Dineen

46 Sevigny 3 Grans

64 Bjarnason (Backup: 35 Kolosov)

Scratches:

13 Alex Ciernik 14 Jonathan Gruden 18 Danila Klimovich (?injured) 26 Cooper Wylie 27 Owen McLaughlin (?injured)  65 Andrew Perrott (?injured) 76 Carson Bantle

Unable to confirm injuries, but labeled where rumors have been heard.

Phantoms By The Numbers

Overall: 4-4-1

Place:  5th

Home: 1-3-1

Road:  3-1

October:  4-4-1

November:

Fridays:  1-1

Saturdays: 1-2-1

Sundays: 1-1

Wednesdays: 1-0

“Home” White Jerseys: 3-2-1

Throwback Jerseys: 1-1

“Road” Orange Jerseys: 0-1

Special Providence in the Fall of the Bruins

The last-place Bruins arrive at the PPL Center for the first time this season.  The AHL Boston affiliate is 4-6 after an overtime win Friday night in Springfield, as much of the league took the Saturday Halloween holiday off last night.  Old friends F Alexis Gendron and D Maxence Guenette are on this team.  As far as prospects, look for F Mikey Eyssimont and F Brendan Gaunce as they are still listed as prospects.

From Phantoms Media:

It is a very different vibe in Rhode Island where the Providence Bruins (3-6-0) went from Kilpatrick Trophy winners last year as the top team in the league to one of the worst out of the gates this season in something of a rebuilding year. Gone are goalie Michael DiPietro and captain Patrick Brown as well as Georgii Merkulov, Fabian Lysell, Riley Tufte and Michael Callahan among others. NHL veteran Mikey Eyssimont (9-1-10) has single-handedly provided the majority of the offense and already has a pair of hat tricks this season. Eyssimont has 269 career NHL games mostly with Boston, Tampa Bay and Winnipeg and had not been a regular in the AHL since 2021-22 with Manitoba. Fourth-rounder from Latvia Dana Locmelis (0-5-5) had 15 goals as a rookie last season. Max Guenette (0-2-2) played in 46 games with the Phantoms last season while scoring 2-22-24 and sometimes serving as an alternate captain. Simon Zajicek (1-3-0, 2.30, .907) very much impressed in his AHL rookie season at 24 years old going 14-6-1, 2.44, .915. Former Penguins and Monsters blueliner Billy Sweezey (1-1-2) has been named the new captain of the P-Bruins. Trent Whitfield has taken over as head coach after spending the previous 10 seasons as an assistant coach. Before that, he played for the Providence Bruins (2009-13) and served as team captain. Providence has been shutout three times already but bounced back for a 5-2 win against Utica last Saturday. The Bruins will return for two more games at PPL Center on November 25 and November 28.

GAME DAY!

Show time is 3:05PM with the puck dropping around 3:15PM.  All gates at 2:00PM with Premier Member entrances at 1:15PM.

Tickets:  Good seats are still available and there are some deals to be had on the secondary market for this matinee.

Parking: Remember that most street parking is not monitored on Sundays in the city of Allentown.  Use caution in the arena block.  Use the decks and lots for more predictable results.

Promotions:  It’s a “Haunted on Hamilton” game today!  Watch for arena security guidelines concerning costumes and accessories.  There’s also a popcorn bucket giveaway which may include some discounts on refills in the future!

Media Kit: Providence 11 1 26

Officials:  Rob Hennessey (#87), Mike Dietrich (#15) Lines: Dominic Moore (#59), Davids Rozitis (#62)

What To Watch

• Time for Kolosov to have a big game in net
• Look for some better play on the defense assuming McDonald is in there and in the right mindset
• Watch to see if they get Gaucher back to center.  It might make a deeper lineup.
• Watch to see if they wear something other than the home white jerseys
• Watch to see if McDonald fights.  He’s been working on that part of his game!

Looking Ahead

The Phantoms are off to the Great White North this week with games on Wednesday in Laval followed by Belleville and Hamilton Friday and Saturday respectively.

We’ll reconvene here at 7th and Hamilton the weekend of November 13 for Friday night versus Hamilton and Saturday versus Charlotte before the team completes the 3/3 Sunday in the Wyoming Valley.

See you at the arena–if the football gets boring….

@Kram207

 

 

 

 

 

On The Road Again

Our first road game of the season brought our first win of the season last week.  The Phantoms took care of Hartford 4-1 at the former home of the Whalers.

Jett Luchanko has started to come into his own as a pro in the second game of the trip, a 6-3 win at Springfield.  Bump came into his own in the third game, an overtime win in Springfield to close the trip.

Phantoms have scored first in their first five games before last Saturday in Springfield

The Phantoms took six “much-needed standings points” out of six on the road last week!  They’ve been off this week and the Flyers took all our players.  Giddyup.

Phantoms By The Numbers

Overall: 3-2-1

Place:  Tied for 4th

Home: 0-2-1

Road:  3-0

October:  3-2-1

Fridays:  1-0

Saturdays: 1-1-1

Sundays: 0-1

Wednesdays: 1-0

White Jerseys: 3-2-1

Throwback Jerseys:

Special Teams Report

It’s still early, but the Power Play is currently in the middle of the pack.  As is the Penalty Kill.

While we’re looking at it: Syracuse has a poor Penalty Kill and a middling Power Play.

Transactions And Team Resources

• D Cooper Wylie recalled from ECHL Reading
• D Oliver Bonk called up to Flyers
• F Jack Studnicka called up to Flyers
• F Carl Grundstrom loaned to Phantoms from Flyers
• LW Carson Bantle signed to PTO for Phantoms
• D Helge Grans and F Jack Studnicka returned to the Phantoms from the Flyers
• D Hunter McDonald, F Alex Bump, F Cole Knuble and F Jacob Gaucher all called up the the Flyers

Discussion:  We thought Bonk played a tremendous game last Saturday night against Cleveland.  It’s not his first rodeo in the AHL so the call-up wasn’t inappropriate.  Wylie is a first-year pro after four years at St Cloud State, where he improved each season.  He’s a lefty shot.  Scouting reports suggest he has a high hockey IQ, responsibility in his zone and good positional awareness.

Studnicka up for Grundstrom is a bit curious.  Studnicka is more of a center, perhaps.  Also, Grundstrom passed through waivers prior to the season and this could be just cycling call-ups before they require waivers again.  But really, it turned out it was just a place-holding move to get the hot young forwards from the Phantoms following the road trip.

From the Flyers side, York and Ristolainen are possibilities tonight against Anaheim, but not likely.  So that’s not solid enough for us to get players back just yet–perhaps tomorrow.  F Garrett Wilson has cleared waivers, so he could be a possibility at any point in the near future.  F Owen Tippett and D Cam York are currently on Injured Reserve.  Foerster and Couturier had been nicked up, was also part of the slew of call-ups.

Bantle was with Grand Rapids the last two seasons.  He was originally a fifth round pick by Arizona out of the University of Wisconsin.  Scouting:  Power forward with size, willing to play in front of the net, physical.  “High hockey IQ, plays a ‘heavy’ game”

Link to our pre-season roster capsules:  HERE

2026-27 Phantoms Media Guide (128 Pages):  2026-27-Lehigh-Valley-Phantoms-Media-Guide

Lines

Saturday at Springfield

12 Aston-Reese 77 Luchanko 22 Knuble

20 Bump 56 Gaucher 90 Pautov

76 Bantle 9 Thompson 10 Goyette

13 Ciernik 14 Gruden 15 Powell

19 McDonald 42 Gill

92 Edward 44 Dineen

26 Wylie 4 Murchison

35 Kolosov  (64 Bjarnason)

So, yeah, three of our top six forwards and one of our two top defenders are now in Philadelphia. Those guys deserve the opportunity and we serve at the pleasure of the Flyers, but man just when the team was starting to come together following a poor couple of opening games at home.

Injuries:  Information is difficult to come by, but Wisdom was nursing a puck injury, 27 Owen McLaughlin and 65 Andrew Perrott are also known to have some injuries.  Not sure about Kimovich and Foote.

Crunch Time

Syracuse Crunch is the AHL affiliate of the Tampa Bay Lightning.  They are 3-4-1 and near the bottom of the AHL North standings.  They lost in overtime last night at home, to Rochester.  They lost on Wednesday night this week as well, up in Laval.  Phantoms with the rest advantage tonight.

As far as familiar names, F Brendan “Fuzz” Furry is on this team.  F Elliot Desnoyers is a former Phantom, and a Flyers draft pick.

Sam O’Reilly is a former first-rounder from Edmonton.  Lucas Mercuri, Dylan Duke, Nick Abruzzese, Jakob Pelletier, and Maxim Groshev are all considered good prospects on this team.

From Phantoms Media:

Fourth-year head coach Joel Bouchard has a solid base of players from last year’s squad including former University of Michigan sniper Dylan Duke (1-3-4) who racked up 32 goals in 2025-26 and last year’s AHL scoring champ Jacob Pelletier (1-3-4) who had 28-49-77 in 2025-26 after playing for the Flyers two seasons ago.  Former Winnipeg second-rounder Jansen Harkins (1-0-1) has 306 career NHL games and spent the last two seasons with the Anaheim Ducks. Former Phantoms Brendan Furry (1-1-2) and Elliot Desnoyers (0-0-0) have found a new home in central New York. Former Belleville Senators goaltender Mads Sogaaard (2-1-0, 1.82, .925) has put up strong numbers so far.

Photo sequence by Jack Mitroka

GAME DAY!

Show time is 7:05PM for Saturday Night Hockey Live on Throwback Night.  All doors at 6:00PM and Premier Members Entrances at 5:45PM.

Tickets:  Good seats still remain for tonight’s game.  There are some deals to be had on the secondary market, too.

Parking:  Construction at the center square has traffic patterns a little sticky at 7th and Hamilton; avoid if you can.  Other parking has been as per usual.  Pre-purchase “orange lot” for the arena deck if you wish.  Be careful not to accidentally subscribe to some subscription service if using an app.  Save money and pay only $5 at the Community Deck at Sixth and Walnut.  Including pre-season, Kram is 3-1 in his annual battle with the evil parking overlords.

Broadcast:  Service Electric TV-2 or Flo-Hockey for the video feed.  Phantoms 365 App, Web Page or WSAN 1470-AM for over-the-air.

Promotion:  Expect some live music or a DJ tonight for Saturday Night Hockey Live.

Jersey Watch:  Phantoms have worn the home whites for every game so far this season, home and road.  It’s curious.  However, they’ll debut some Philly-era thowbacks tonight.  You can buy new throwback gear in the store tonight as well.

Media Kit (rosters, stats, etc.):  Syracuse 102426

Officials:  Referees: Patrick Hanrahan (#52), Jim Curtin (#22) Lines: Luke Pye (#42), Dominic Moore (#59)

What To Watch

• Watch for those throwback jerseys.  Do you feel like you’re at the Spectrum?
• It seems like a goalie rotation, so look for Bjarnason in net tonight.
• Check the lines.  We’ve got some guys to replace.
• Watch Grans if he’s in there.  He’s coming back from injury and could be rusty.
• Watch to see if any additional players arrive for the game, from Philadelphia.
• Watch the defense in general.  The loss of Bonk and McDonald could really hurt.
• Watch for Grundstrom.  He didn’t make it into any of the games on the road trip, due to a personal issue.  Hopefully everything is OK with him.  He’s a nice addition if he’s available.
• Watch to see if any of the injured guys can make it back.
• Watch for #90 Pautov to have a bigger role in the offense and Power Play.
• Powell is due for another fight.  Watch out for that.
• Watch Jett tonight as he’s the guy who kind of got passed over when the call-ups happened.  Will he be extra motivated?

Up Next

Right back here tomorrow for the Belleville Senators who are completing a “Tour of Pennsylvania” having beaten Wilkes at their place Friday night and playing in Hershey tonight.  It’s “Phan Con” for a 3PM start.  Steelers play at 9:35AM and the Eagles play the Monday Night game.  “Hockey Night” may be on hiatus, though.

Oh, one more thing:  We had the opportunity to tour a new “media room” group area last home stand.  It’s a small room behind the big ice sweet and it’s connected to some seats in 111.  What’s neat about it is that they have a BUNCH of TV’s in there for watching football or March Madness or what have you.

See you at the arena,

@Kram207

 

 

 

 

The Cleveland Monsters are in town for two games this weekend.  They couldn’t have lined this up with Halloween a little bit better?

Last Time Out

Hartford came to town for our home opener last weekend and did nothing extraordinary.  But, they played some defense and had a goalie who made plays–and perhaps was a bit lucky–and they got themselves a nice 5-2 win which was way closer than that.  As we said in the preview, many of the lines hadn’t played together in a game yet, so it was going to be fun to see.  And, as it turns out, frustrating.  It looked really good early on, but once they started pressing they started to get sloppy, and Hartford was able to capitalize.  The officiating left something to be desired as well.

We expect it to get better, but with the Flyers scuffling to open their season, it’s just a matter of time before they start to take it out on us, so it feels bad.  Plus a whole week to think about it, hopefully the team is breaking down the tape and we’ll look better tonight.

One other factor in last week’s game:  Both teams were down a player following a planned fight off the face-off, which is no longer allowed.  Powell was our guy to go–he’s not afraid of the rough stuff and I’m not sure he would have been a factor in the outcome of the game, but he’s got to be smarter just wait a couple seconds…

Lines Last Saturday:

56 Gaucher 77 Luchanko 22 Knuble

25 Foote 23 Studnicka 18 Klimovich

90 Pautov 74 Wisdom 12 Aston-Reese

13 Ciernik 9 Thompson 15 Powell

44 Dineen 59 Bonk

4 Murchison 42 Gill

19 McDonald 46 Sevigny

35 Kolosov  (64 Bjarnason)

Work-shopping nicknames for the lines, although this will be fluid with the addition of Bumper.  

Line 1:  Gaucher and the Kids

Line 2:  Charlotte and the Russian

Line 3:  Speed and the Old Guy

Line 4:  Rookies

Roster Moves

G Yaniv Perets and LW Brady Berard to the Reading Royals.

Flyers sign veteran Forward Michael Bunting to add some experience up front.

F Alex Bump loaned to Phantoms from Philadelphia

Records:

Overall: 0-1

Home: 0-1

Saturdays: 0-1

White Jerseys: 0-1

Hello, Cleveland

Old friend and veteran defender Adam Clendening will return with this team.  G Pheonix Copley will love getting reacquainted with his friends in section 121 and 103.  The Monsters don’t appear to have many of the Blue Jackets’ top prospects on the roster right now.  Cleveland is 1-1 on the young sesaon.

GAME DAY!

Saturday Night Hockey Live!  Show Time is 7:05PM, Gates 6:00PM, Premier Members 5:45PM

Broadcast Video:  Service Electric TV-2, WFMZ-69, Flo Hockey

Broadcast Audio: Phantoms 365 App, PhantomsHockey.com, 1470-AM

Media Kit: (rosters, stats, etc.)  Cleveland Saturday

Pre-Season Roster Overview:  HERE

Referees: Will Kelly (#29), Adam Tobias (#16) Linesperson: Dominic Moore (#59), Davids Rozitis (#62)

What To Watch

• Netminder.  Kolosov got last week, and if he’s the clear #1 then he’ll get tonight as well.  If they’re to alternate, then look for Bjarnason tonight.
• Alex Bump.  He’ll be wearing #20.  Which line do they have him on? (not from a hierarchy stand-point, we don’t do that around here, just who he’s with) How motivated does he look? Is he on special teams?
• Special Teams:  didn’t get a good feel for it last Saturday.  How to they look on the power play and killing penalties?
• Jerseys:  Back in the home whites or a surprise?
• Fights:  Powell again?  Or someone else?
• Can they play consistently through the game?  It has felt like we wore down last game and in the pre-season.  We need to play a full game.

Up Next

Back at it with the Monsters right here tomorrow for ‘Bluey Day’ at 1:05PM, gates at 12:00 or 11:45.  It’s possibly an early hiatus for ‘Hockey Night’ as football takes precedence.  Meet Bluey though!

On the road this next week in Hartford on Wednesday followed by two in Springfield Friday and Saturday.

The following week is an off week capped by another Saturday/Sunday at the PPL Center with Syracuse and Bellevile respectively, the Sunday matinee being at 3:05PM this time, 10/24-25.

See you at the arena,

@Kram207

“Rise up, gather round
Rock this place to the ground”

-Def Leppard

PreSeason Report

The Phantoms went 1-1 on the preseason.  A game was cancelled in Wilkes-Barre because they couldn’t figure out ice.  The Phantoms beat Hershey at home before losing to Wilkes-Barre on perfectly good PPL Center ice.  The lineups in both games were “tryout” kinda deals, with some of the young and new players combined with some guys who may play a bunch of this season in Reading.  For the most part, we thought the team played hard, though, and were fairly well organized and on top of things–at least until the second period of the Scranton game.  For what it’s worth, here are the lines from the two games:

Vs Hershey

90 Pautov 9 Thompson 15 Powell

13 Ciernik 41 Kressler 21 Kaplan

27 McLaughlin 8 Berard 11 Bancroft

76 Bantle 10 Haskins 32 Robidoux

46 Sevigny 42 Gill

92 Edward 38 Reid

26 Wylie 65 Perrott

64 Bjarnason (80 Petruzzelli)

Vs Scranton/Wilkes-Barre

25 Foote 23 Studnicka 90 Pautov

27 McLaughlin 74 Wisdom 21 Kaplan

13 Ciernik 9 Thompson 15 Powell

8 Berard 14 Gruden 11 Bancroft

19 McDonald 42 Gill

4 Murchison 44 Dineen

92 Edward 65 Perrott

35 Kolosov  (64 Bjarnason)

Wait, Who Are Those Guys?

Unlike the past twelve season, I’ve been geeking out about this lineup a little bit.  It’s got a nice mix of rookies, real Flyers prospects, and veteran contributors with well-rounded skills. It’s a nice mix, so I wrote a whole piece with player capsules and scouting reports for each player.  Read it here. 

Now, of course coaching, teamwork, injuries, Flyers drama and such, can interfere with what should be a nice season of hockey.  We’ve got a long way to go, but it looks like it might be a fun ride.

Here’s a printable copy:  26_10_01-Phantoms-Roster

While we’re at it, here’s the Media Kit for tonight:  Hartford Opener

What’s New At The Arena

Things seemed pretty familiar in the old barn for pre-season.  You can still use cash at Burger Prime and I think the Bru Daddy bar.  The taps behind section 107 have been replaced with the old “Wall O’ Fridges” with a wide variety of cans for purchase.  I’ve heard rumor that there will be new group areas at the back of the Bru Daddy bar, above 108, as well as part of section 111 somehow.  There seemed to be better usher coverage about the arena for the preseason games than last season–not to say they were very effective, but it’s preseason for everyone, you know.

GAME DAY!

Show Time: 7:05PM

All Gates:  6:00PM

Pemier Member Gates: 5:45PM

Hockey: 7:20PM

TV:  Service Electric TV2, Flo Hockey.

Radio:  Streaming from PhantomsHockey.com or the Phantoms App.  Air: 1470-AM WSAN

Giveaway: Rally Towels

Tickets: Good seats are still available and there are a few deals to be had on the secondary market.

Parking:  No changes noted in the parking situation.  My preferred deck did not even bother collecting parking at the final preseason game so I had to pay regular rates–which was more.  Win some and lose some.  It appears they will start collecting parking shortly after 4PM this season, depending on location.

Referees: Rob Hennessey (#87), Chad Ingalls (#39) Linesperson: Davids Rozitis (#62), John Rey (#16)

What To Watch

• Watch for new fans in new seats as folks move around from year to year.  I’ll remain in 105, same seats as last season, but the first time in a while I haven’t moved.
• Watch for the new group areas and the demise and encroachment on standing room spaces around the arena.  It’s something happening on the baseball side too, as groups have become so vital to ticket sales.
• Watch for the lines and pairs announcement to see who’s in the lineup tonight.
• Watch the power play units.  Who’s out there?  Who’s the defender?  Do they look like they know what they’re doing?
• Watch for who starts in net.  I would go with Bjarnason, but it feels like Kolosov has the inside track for #3 in Philadelphia, so perhaps he gets first shot at it.  They’ll both be used, of course.
• Watch for any difference in uniforms.  They wore their latest whites for the preseason games, so that’s what I expect.  But, you never know and sometimes there can be a surprise.
• Watch out for Rangers fans.  Make sure to point out to them that Hartford is not the real Rangers.  They love that.

Up Next

The Phantoms have the week off, and return to the ice at the PPL Center next weekend for two with visiting Cleveland.  Saturday is a normal 7:05PM start, while Sunday is a football-killing 1:05PM start (Eagles play at 9:30AM in London, Steelers and Giants both have 1PM games.)

The following week is a busy one with three on the road in New England.

See you at the arena,

@Kram207

Featured Image by Jack Mitroka.

 

 

 

 

The Lehigh Valley Phantoms return to the PPL Center at the corner of 7th and Hamilton on Saturday, October 3 to start playing hockey games that count.  Around here, we think the roster has a bit of a different feel this season–whether that’s prospects or just the vibe from a young Flyers team coming off a playoff bid.  Here’s some breakdown and player capsules for this season’s squad, for opening night:

 

By The Numbers

27:  Number of players on the roster (there’s no limit, you know)

16:  Forwards

8:  Defensemen

3: Goaltenders

 

Familiar Faces

12 skaters and the three goaltenders have appeared on Phantoms ice in the past:

#59 Oliver Bonk, D:  2023 First round pick by the Flyers, he played 46 games with 19 points for the Phantoms last season and had one game with the Flyers.  The 21-year-old looks to take the next step at both ends of the ice.  Watch to see if he has a role on a power play unit, which could be telling for how Philadelphia sees his future.

#56 Jacob Gaucher, F: 36 points in 69 games for the Phantoms last season, he’s an important part of this squad now.  He’s a leader and solid contributor on a nightly basis.

#22 Cole Knuble, F:  Almost a point-per-game guy for Notre Dame last season, he had a 7-game stint with the Phantoms.  The Flyers 4th rounder is still adapting to the pro game.  He didn’t appear in the preseason games, but should be a regular piece of the Phantoms lineup most every night.  “High motor professional prospect RW/C.”

#77 Jett Luchanko, C:  Played 9 games for the Phantoms during the 2024-25 season and has played a bit with the Flyers as well.  Top prospect who was drafted in the first round, #13 overall, in the 2024 draft.  20 years old.  He’s here to continue to adapt to the adult game and find his role in it. When he does, he’ll be back with Philadelphia.  He did not appear in the preseason games.  We’re expecting him to score points.

#4 Ty Murchison, D:  Somewhat of a breakout year last season for the Phantoms, he added 3 games with the Flyers.  Perhaps he wore down as the season progressed, will look for him to pick up where he left off last season.

#74 Zayde Wisdom, F:  Now one of the senior members of the team, “Wiz” will have an impact proportionate to the speed with which he can play.  When he’s playing fast, he can be a key contributor on the middle lines or a cheat-code on an “energy” line.

#19 Hunter McDonald, D:  The 6’4″ blue-liner continues to improve his game along with his strength, puck handling and skating.  The next step is leadership.  Watch to see what he can bring to the table this season.

#46 Vincent Sevigny, D:  Came over from Syracuse last season and played mostly with Reading.  He’s 25 and 6’3″ so watch for him to use his size to earn playing time.

#92 Edward Jackson, D:  Came over from Providence and spent a fair amount of time with ECHL Maine.  He’s only 22 and will look to develop his pro game and earn ice time.

#13 Alex Ciernik, F:  Played  three games for the Phantoms at the end of the 2024-25 season, but split last season between the Finnish and the Swedish leagues.  Scouting reports have him as an explosive offensive player who plays with speed.  It hasn’t translated to the score sheet yet.  He’s from Germany.

#15 Noah Powell, F: Noah played 16 games with the Phantoms last season after finishing up at Arizona State.  He was a 2024 5th-round pick by the Flyers.  He did well last season, but now that his feet are wet with the pro game, our prediction is that the 6’2″ 21yo will quickly become a crowd favorite for his play style. Scouting:  “Inside power forward with some scoring touch.”

#1 Yaniv Perets, G:  The Canadian is the senior member of the goalie room, by age.  He spent much of last season with Reading, but held his own when given AHL opportunity.

#35 Aleksei Kolosov, G:  The Belarussian goalie is a former 3rd-round pick of the Flyers and somewhat of an enigma.  This could be a sink-or-swim year for him in the North American leagues.  We’re not sure how much he cares.

#64 Carson Bjarnason, G:  Still considered a prospect as a 21-year-old former second round pick from Canada in 2023.  He was inconsistent last season posting a 14-11-4 record, with 3.43 GAA and .877 sv pct.  He’ll need to step up his game if he’s to help the Flyers in the future, but he’ll be given the time and opportunity to get there.

The Rookies

#8 Brady Berard, F:  A “defense-first” forward who played for Boston College last season.  Is said to posses a high hockey IQ.  Has two brothers who play high-level hockey.  If he’s not earning playing time, perhaps some time with Reading is in the cards.

#22 Cole Knuble, F:  (see above)

#77 Jett Luchanko, F: (see above)

#27 Owen McLaughlin, F: Following his time at Boston University last season, he put in 13 games with Reading contributing 8 points on the score sheet.  From Spring City, PA.  Scouting:  “Agile playmaker”

#42 Spencer Gill, D:  Big, right-handed d-man was a second-round pick by the Flyers in 2024.  He’s shown the ability to score.  He may need to continue his physical development as a 20yo pro.

#90 Ilya Pautov, F:  Flashed during the pre-season games and became a blog favorite.  The sixth-round Flyers pick played in Russia last year.  Scouting:  “Dynamic play-making winger.  A pure offensive talent.”  We’ll watch for what kind of role he can earn, but around here we see him as an excellent addition to an “energy” line.

#9 Riley Thompson, F:  A big lefty forward who joined the Phantoms following his season at Ohio State last season.  Scouting:  “Towering, power center with soft hands.”

The New Guys

#12 Zach Aston-Reese, F:  The old guy of the group at 32yo, he split his time last season at Columbus and Cleveland.  You may remember his name from his time with the Penguins organization.  These veterans are needed to show the way sometimes–but not too many of them.

#14 Jonathan Gruden, F:  Another veteran with Penguin heritage, he was signed following a PTO.  26 points in 67 games last season with Utica. Still only 26 years old.

 #18 Danila Klimovich, F:  Good-sized right-handed forward and a Kolosov countryman.  He scored 18/16/24 in 63 games for Abbotsford last season.

#23 Jack Studnicka, F:  27yo Forward from Canada, he scored 30 points in 41 games for Charlotte last season and appeared for Florida in the NHL as well.

#25 Nolan Foote, F:  Foote was Studnicka’s teammate from Charlotte/Florida last season.  He’s a 25yo lefty to Studnicka’s right-handed shot.  Perhaps they’ve played on a line together before?  14/18/32 in 54 games at the AHL level last season.

#44 Cam Dineen, D:  The veteran defender played in Bakersfield last season in the AHL, and hails from Tom’s River, NJ.  Most of his AHL time has been spent out west.

#65 Andrew Perrott, D: Perrott played in the preseason and it was evident that he does not like Penguins.  He’ll fit in just fine.  51 games, 117 penalty minutes last season for Rockford (AHL).

#88 David Goyette, C:  Arrived this week via trade with Seattle, for F Devin Kaplan.  Goyette is said to be a speedy centerman compared with Kaplan’s defensive-minded winger play.  He played 51 games with Coachella Valley last season in the AHL and didn’t find the net as often as his profile would suggest:  3/7/10.  However, his pedigree is there as a former 2nd-rounder of Seattle in 2022.  It’s a change-of-scenery opportunity this season for him with the Phantoms.

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Final Thoughts

So much in hockey depends on teamwork, coaching, health and depth.  Throw in some luck and a hot goalie and you’ve got a winning recipe.  So it’s not often we’ve broken down a roster before around here, on the hockey side.  You just never know.  But this is such an interesting group of guys to us, with the prospects like Luchanko, Bonk, Knuble, Gill…and they’ve added a bunch of contributing players on both sides of the blue line who should add a consistency night after night rather than a hot-shot MVP-type who can be neutralized.  it’s up to Coach Snowy to put these guys together in a way that makes sense for both their development and their success.  The depth is there to do it.  May they stay healthy, of course.

Let’s Go Phantoms!

See you at the arena,

@Kram207

 

 

 

We’ve got another season of hockey on tap from the corner of 7th and Hamilton in downtown Allentown!  Tonight was supposed to be the second night of preseason hockey, but then something happened.  Here are a few words for tonight’s game:

Where did you find these guys, Moosic?

The 2026-27 Phantoms were supposed to start their pre-season slate with a game at the Mohegan in Wilkes-Barre last night.  Unfortunately, the Penguins’ arena could not figure out ice.  Did they hire the grounds crew from the RailRiders*?  How many baseball games have been lost in Moosic because they couldn’t take care of the field?

*Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders set to re-brand this fall.  Electric City Song Dogs is my guess.

Don’t tell Mrs. Kram about soccer yet, OK?

The AA Reading Fightin Phillies won the Eastern League championship at home this past Tuesday, over on the baseball side.  Thus closes the baseball season for us around here.  Imagine Mrs. Kram’s surprise when she learned that home hockey games start tonight!  It’s a nice transition for a sports fan but a continued nuisance for someone trying to plan for who will be home for dinner.  Let’s keep quiet about Spirits Soccer (“Slow Hockey”) for now, OK?

Roster

We got a couple important pieces back from the Flyers yesterday, in Bonk, Luchanko, and Knuble–not to mention old friend Jacob Gaucher.  The Flyers will need to send three more, thought to be Helge Grans, Aleksei Kolosov and Garrett Wilson.  But remember, trades, waivers, injuries and other curveballs could change things going forward.  Here’s what I have for the roster right now–unfortunately not in an easy printable PDF this time:

LEHIGH VALLEY PHANTOMS 2026-27 TRAINING CAMP ROSTER

1 Yaniv Perets – G – AHL
4 Ty Murchison – D – NHL
8 Brady Berard – F – AHL
9 Riley Thompson – F – AHL
10 Kyle Haskins – F – Camp Invite
11 Dalton Bancroft – F – Camp Invite
12 Zach Aston-Reese – F – NHL
13 Alex Ciernik – F – NHL
15 Noah Powell – F – NHL
16 Jack Page – D – Camp Invite
18 Danila Klimovich – F – NHL
19 Hunter McDonald – D – NHL
21 Devin Kaplan – F – NHL
22 Cole Knuble – F – NHL
23 Jack Studnicka – F – NHL
24 Artyom Kulakov – D – Camp Invite
25 Nolan Foote – F – NHL
26 Cooper Wylie – D – AHL
27 Owen McLaughlin – F – AHL
29 Hunter Strand – F – Camp Invite
32 Mikael Robidoux – F – AHL
33 Ian Shane – G – Camp Invite
38 Luke Reid – D – Camp Invite
40 Connor McMenamin – F – Camp Invite
41 Braeden Kressler – F – Camp Invite
42 Spencer Gill – D – NHL
44 Cam Dineen – D – NHL
46 Vincent Sevigny – D – AHL
48 Wyatt McLeod – D – Camp Invite
54 Jeremy Michel – F – Camp Invite
56 Jacob Gaucher – F – NHL
59 Oliver Bonk – D – NHL
64 Carson Bjarnason – G – NHL
74 Zayde Wisdom – F – AHL
76 Carson Bantle – F – Camp Invite
77 Jett Luchanko – F – NHL
80 Keith Petruzzelli – G – AHL
90 Ilya Pautov – F – NHL
92 Jackson Edward – D – NHL

What To Look For Tonight–And Tuesday:

• Check the starting lineup.  It could be important for some of the tryouts and invites to stake a claim on a roster spot for the Phantoms or Royals.  But also look at the line combos as we may get a peak at a line or two we’ll see in the future.
• Cashless.  Recall the arena is mostly cashless.  Check if Burger Prime, Bru Daddy bar, and Chickie’s Fries still take cash.
• Merch.  We’ve heard good things about new merch in the store–they really needed that.  Take a walk over there tonight and don’t forget to use your season ticket discount.  Personally, I’ll be looking for a smart quarter-zip, perhaps a polo or long-sleeve shirt, a new hat, and maybe a hoodie.
• Any new arena things?  Perhaps you’ve been to some recent concerts, events or the rookie games, but this will be our first time back in a while, so we’ll be looking for anything new and different.
• McCall’s Downtown.  Bru Daddy has moved into production and distribution for their beers and McCall’s Collective has taken over the restaurant across from the arena.  They’re open, but they’re still ramping up, and we’ve been big fans since they opened down on Susquehanna Street during the pandemic.  They make a variety of beer styles well, and generally do things right on the food side.  We’re glad to have them Downtown!  Check them out when you have a chance.
• Parking.  Of course be observant of any surprise Parking Authority parking fee increases.  Also, follow along on socials as I update my annual battle to avoid the Evil Parking Overlords.

Looking Ahead

We’re generally feeling optimistic about this team right now, but time will tell.  Tonight is pre-season against Hershey, while Scranton will be here for an odd Tuesday tilt. The regular season starts on Saturday, October 3 versus Hartford.  [Spirits Soccer starts December 5.  Shhh!]

See you at the arena,

@Kram207