The Lehigh Valley Phantoms’ postseason run ended two rounds into the American Hockey League’s (AHL) Calder Cup Playoffs with a series defeat to in-state archrival the Hershey Bears. In a best-of-five game Atlantic Division Semifinals, the Bears won three of four games to stamp their ticket to the next round of play.
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Despite winning only one game in this series, the Phantoms’ locker room and staff have a lot to be proud of this postseason. For starters, they defeated another favored and tough Pennsylvania opponent, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the first round of the playoffs 2-0. The team also had a lot of big plays and key contributors in the series against Hershey. The Phantoms’ parent club, the Philadelphia Flyers, has undoubtedly taken note of several standout players during this series and the overall playoff run, including skaters with significant big-league experience, like forward Bobby Brink.
Tanner Laczynski
Forward Tanner Laczynski had his best outing of professional hockey this season in Lehigh Valley. The 26-year-old Ohio State University product had 44 points in 49 games during the regular season. Although his services were not needed in Philadelphia this season, the Illinois native further showed his value to the organization in the postseason when he collected four goals over the course of six games in two playoff series.
Drafted 169th overall by the Flyers in the 2016 NHL Entry Draft, Laczynski’s two goals in the deciding Game 2 of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton series helped propel the team into the second round of the playoffs. His two goals in the second round came in the third period of a close 2-1 defeat in Game 1, with the second scored in the second period of Game 4.
Bobby Brink
Bobby Brink’s big league experience showed in the Phantoms’ postseason run. The right-winger, who appeared in 57 games this season for the Flyers, was sent down to Lehigh Valley to assist with the team’s push for the playoffs as the season winded down. In addition to his 23 points for the Flyers, the Minnesota native had another 13 points (seven goals and six assists) in 13 regular season games for the Phantoms.
In six playoff games for the Phantoms, Brink recorded four assists. His first playoff point came in Game 2 of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton series, with another three assists coming in Games 1, 3, and 4 of the second round matchup with the Bears. Throughout the playoffs, Brink was extremely active in helping to set up Phantom attacks into the enemy zone. Brink’s postseason run with the Phantoms was a strong statement that the young forward can produce offensively under the pressure of the playoffs.
Ronnie Attard
Defenseman Ronnie Attard appeared in 12 games for the Flyers this season, tallying two assists in the NHL. The former Western Michigan University alternate captain spent a bulk of the season in the AHL with the Phantoms recording 27 points (10 goals and 17 assists) and 37 penalty minutes in 48 games. During the Phantoms’ postseason play, the blueliner had one goal in Game 2 against the Penguins and an assist in Game 1 against the Bears. Attard made his presence on the ice known in Game 2 of the Hershey series, recording 10 penalty minutes.
Hunter McDonald
Hunter McDonald made his professional debut this season, playing in 11 regular season games for the Phantoms. Drafted by the Flyers in the sixth round of the 2022 NHL Entry Draft, the blueliner joined the Phantoms at the conclusion of Northeastern University’s 2023-24 campaign. The 6-foot-4, 205-pounder had six points and 32 penalty minutes for the Huskies in 23 games.
In 11 regular season AHL games, McDonald had three assists. His first professional goal came in Game 2 of the playoff series against Hershey, when he beat Bears’ goaltender Hunter Shepard at the 18:45 mark of the first period. There is little doubt that the Flyers and Phantoms faithful look forward to seeing more of the 22-year-old defenseman next season.
Adam Brooks
Adam Brooks just wrapped up his seventh season of professional hockey, his second in a Phantoms jersey. The 28-year-old center who made his NHL debut with the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 2019-20 campaign, had 25 points (13 goals and 12 assists) in 47 games for Lehigh Valley during the regular season. A major career highlight came in a March 16 game on the road against the Providence Bruins when he scored two goals and tallied three assists.
In the postseason, the veteran forward added another three points in six games. Brooks’ first playoff point came in Game 1 of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton series on a goal. The Winnipeg native added two more assists in Games 2 and 4 of the matchup against Hershey.
Helge Grans
Helge Grans made his North American professional debut with the AHL’s Ontario Reign during the 2021-22 campaign. Prior to that, the 22-year-old defenseman played parts of three seasons in the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) with the Malmö Redhawks. The Swede joined the Phantoms leading up to the 2023-24 campaign, appearing in 56 games for Lehigh Valley this season. The 6-foot-3, 205-pound blueliner had eight points, 24 penalty minutes, and a plus-1 rating during the regular season. In four playoff appearances, he tallied an assist on McDonald’s goal in Game 2 against Hershey.
Emil Andrae
Drafted in the second round, 54th overall, by the Flyers in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft, defenseman Emil Andrae is one of a handful of prospects that Flyers fans have high hopes for. The 22-year-old Swede got his first taste of the NHL in four games this season with the big league club. In 61 games with the Phantoms this season, he had 32 points (five goals and 27 assists). Although he isn’t the physically biggest blueliner to ever wear a Phantoms jersey, the 5-foot-9, 183-pounder had 66 penalty minutes for Lehigh Valley during the regular season.
In six playoff games, Andrae had three points, six penalty minutes, and a plus-3 rating. His playoff points came in Game 2 of the Penguins series and Game 3 of the Hershey series, when he got the scoring started in Lehigh Valley’s only victory in the second round. He will undoubtedly be one of the several talented, young players looking to secure a spot on the big league roster out of training camp next season.
Olle Lycksell
Olle Lycksell is yet another one of the Flyers organization’s talented young Swedes with NHL experience. The forward appeared in 18 games this season and eight last season for the big league club. During the 2023-24 campaign, the 24-year-old had five points for the Flyers and another 39 points for the Phantoms in 38 games. Coupled with his 19 goals and 20 assists for Lehigh Valley, his plus-6 rating made a strong statement for his overall abilities on the ice. In the postseason, Lycksell appeared in six games adding another four points to his season totals. His one and only goal in the playoffs came at the 7:28 mark of the first period in Game 3. He also had an assist on Andrae’s earlier goal in the same game.
Cooper Marody
Cooper Marody has played parts of seven seasons of professional hockey, which includes time spent in the NHL. The 27-year-old Michigan native just finished his second season with the Phantoms. In 68 regular season games, the forward had 19 goals and 37 assists. During Lehigh Valley’s postseason, he added five more assists to his impressive regular season assists total. In both Games 1 and 2 of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton series, he had one assist. He tallied two assists in Game 3 of the Bears’ series, and added one more in Game 4.
Rhett Gardener
A member of the 2016 NCAA Tournament champion University of North Dakota hockey team, Rhett Gardner just completed his sixth season of professional hockey. Prior to signing with the Phantoms, the forward had NHL experience with the Dallas Stars. The Moose Jaw native appeared in one game with the Flyers this season, having also played in 60 games with Lehigh Valley. With the Phantoms, he had 23 points (10 goals and 13 assists) during the regular season.
In six playoff appearances, Gardener had two goals and one assist in six games. His first goal came during Game 1 of the Penguins’ series with the second coming in Game 4 of the Hershey series. This first-period goal opened up the scoring in the decisive Game 4, the first of eight total goals the two teams scored in the showdown.
Brendan Furry
Before joining the Phantoms, left-winger Brendan Furry starred at Minnesota State University, Mankato, where he wore the captain’s “C” during his third and final season. In 57 regular season games, the 25-year-old had six goals, 12 assists, 43 penalty minutes, and a plus-1 rating. He added two assists to his season totals in the playoffs, tallying his first against the Penguins in Game 2 and his second on Gardner’s goal in Game 4 against Hershey.
Garrett Wilson
Few members of the Phantoms are as beloved by fans as Garrett Wilson. The tough forward just finished his fourth season with Lehigh Valley, three of which were spent wearing the alternate captain’s “A,” until he was upgraded to full captain this season. In 59 regular season games, the 33-year-old had 19 points (eight goals and 11 assists) and 216 penalty minutes. He led the league in regular-season penalty minutes. He also had one point in six postseason appearances, a goal in Game 4 of the second round series against Hershey.
Jacob Gaucher
A former star player in the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), Jacob Gaucher appeared in parts of five seasons with Val-d’Or Foreurs and Baie-Comeau Drakkar. The former Baie-Comeau Drakkar captain had 68 points (35 goals and 33 assists) in 66 games during the 2021-22 campaign, his last season in juniors.
The center turned professional with the Flyers’ ECHL affiliate the Reading Royals last season, appearing in 71 games and recording 61 points. This season, with the exception of three games in Reading, he was up with the Phantoms. In 59 AHL games, the Quebec native scored eight goals and tallied eight assists as he adjusted to the advanced level of play in the league. In six playoff appearances, Gaucher had a goal and an assist. His first goal came in Game 2 of the Penguins series, with his assist coming on Garrett Wilson’s first-period goal in Game 4 of the Hershey series.
Cal Petersen
To state Cal Petersen had some bright spots in the playoffs is an understatement. The Phantoms’ number one goaltender for much of the 2023-24 campaign, he appeared in all six playoff games for Lehigh Valley, facing tough competition from in-state adversaries Wilkes/Barre-Scranton and Hershey in Rounds 1 and 2. The 29-year-old walked away from the postseason with three wins, including a big Game 3 shutout against the Bears, one of the top-scoring teams in the AHL during the regular season. His statistics in goal during the playoffs were a 2.70 goals-against average (GAA) and a .887 save percentage (SV%). Over the course of two playoff series, he faced 142 shots, turning away 125.
Petersen had quality regular season numbers for the Phantoms. In 28 appearances, he recorded a 2.71 GAA and a .902 SV%. These AHL numbers were complemented by five games with the Flyers, in which he recorded two wins in goal. The native of Waterloo, Iowa is under contract with the Flyers organization until the conclusion of the 2024-25 season. The veteran goalie’s presence in the system provides the Flyers with much-needed depth at the position for the coming season. The former University of Notre Dame captain brings significant NHL and AHL-level experience to the franchise, having just finished his seventh season of professional hockey.
The Path Forward
As is the case in past years, the Flyers will announce their training camp schedule and roster by mid-September. The notable performances of a number of Flyers farm hands in the AHL over the course of the regular season and playoffs will have a significant impact on the opportunities they are presented with during training camp. Fans should keep an eye on the continued development of Phantoms players with NHL experience who shined during the AHL Calder Cup Playoff run including forwards Bobby Brink and Olle Lycksell and blueliners Emil Andrae and Ronnie Attard.