It’s been over a month since the Lehigh Valley Phantoms hired John Snowden as their head coach. It’s been a few weeks since the Hershey Bears hired Derek King. The contrast at the introductory pressers for both American Hockey League (AHL) teams was noticeable.
Related: Lehigh Valley Phantoms Have Plenty of Optimism Following John Snowden Hire
In this league, there are three types of teams. The ones who want to win first and develop their prospects in the process, those interested in development while winning second, and then the teams solely focused on development. The overall sentiment at the Bears presser was how important winning a Calder Cup title is, or “It’s time to win it again,” as King noted. With the Phantoms, the focus was on the rebuild for the Philadelphia Flyers, fueled by the AHL team. “This is where the rebuild for the Flyers is going to start,” as Snowden noted in his introduction as head coach.
The two teams are otherwise similar and noted rivals. The Bears and Phantoms both play in the Atlantic Division and, more importantly, are two of the three Pennsylvanian teams in the AHL, playing in markets passionate for hockey and success. For the Phantoms, they want to close the gap, chase down, and eventually surpass the standard in their division and the league.
Phantoms Are Chasing the Bears
The Bears are the team the Phantoms look up to. Their previous head coach, Ian Laperriere, would often note how he was trying to build the team into the Bears and play their style. They did, with a forechecking presence and a team that by the end of last season was maturing into a great one.
The past two playoff matchups showed that the Phantoms are closer but still far from their rivals. The 2024 matchup wasn’t close as the Bears took care of business in four games on their way to the Calder Cup title. It showed what the team to beat looks like compared to a team with promise but plenty of work to do.
Last season was interesting because the Phantoms matured into a team capable of upsetting the Bears, and they looked poised to do it, boasting a 2-1 series lead in the best of five. Yet, the Bears proved that every time they need to win, they step up and deliver. And that’s what happened with a 6-4 win in Game 4 and a 4-2 win in Game 5 to once again beat the Phantoms.
The teams are heading in opposite directions, or at least they have since the offseason began. The Bears are a younger team and are losing many of the key players and the head coach who fueled the back-to-back Calder Cup title runs. They hope King picks up where Todd Nelson left off. The Phantoms have prospects who are looking to make the NHL roster out of training camp but are ready to make an impact in the AHL from day one. This is where the Phantoms can pass their rival and become the new team to beat in the Atlantic Division.
Chasing the Past
This applies to the Flyers just as much (if not more) than it does to the Phantoms. Both teams are chasing the past, and the reality is, they haven’t been the same since Ed Snider passed away in 2016. The Flyers have only made the playoffs three times in the last decade, and the Phantoms haven’t won the Calder Cup since he sold the team (they last won as the Philadelphia Phantoms in 2005).
This organization is looking to return to the glory days. Whether it’s the Broad Street Bullies of the 1970s, the 1980s teams that appeared in the Final three times, or even the team that reached the Final in 2010, there’s this belief that the only way to success is in the past. It’s why the Flyers are known for bringing back people from the previous eras, with general manager (GM) Daniel Briere and new head coach Rick Tocchet being the case in point (Laperriere was on that 2009-10 team, too).
This explains the Snowden hire. He didn’t play for the Flyers, but he’s an internal hire. It also speaks to another ghost of the past, which is Kris Knoblauch, who was an assistant for the Flyers and a young up-and-coming coach who they didn’t retain. Knoblauch went on to coach the Hartford Wolf Pack and then the Edmonton Oilers, where he’s helped them reach the Stanley Cup Final in each of the past two seasons. The Flyers didn’t want the same thing to happen with Snowden.
Why Snowden Is Different
Snowden isn’t the typical internal hire. “I’m a very process-driven person,” he noted during the introductory presser, a hint toward him having a vision and plan. He coached the power play where it was all about the details, and with the Phantoms, he’ll coach a team that plays sound and schematic hockey. There’s a good chance that if the Phantoms don’t hire Snowden, another AHL team does, which parallels how things went with Knoblauch.
He’s one of the coaches to watch this season and beyond. Snowden can build something special in Allentown and then head on to bigger things. Like many of the great NHL coaches, Snowden can get his start in the AHL and be one of the young coaches who can both connect with his players and make a mark as an innovative coach.
Will the Phantoms Catch the Bears?
The Phantoms closed the gap this summer, not with a big signing per se, but with the team being one year older and prospects on the forward unit who can take over games at the AHL level (assuming they aren’t in the NHL). At the same time, the Bears are the team to beat, and their moves reflect a team that prioritizes winning. A prime example was the Louie Belpedio signing, a defenseman who wasn’t part of the Phantoms’ future but is a key part of the Bears’ present as a shutdown defenseman in his prime.
The season ahead will indicate where the Phantoms stand and how they look when the playoffs roll around. “It’s not now, it’s setting them up for success a year from now when we hit the playoffs, of just being hard to play,” Snowden added, and it’s what to expect from this team if they face the Bears again. In a rematch, they’ll be ready and prepared to not only be a tough team to play against, but possibly the team to beat in the AHL. The Phantoms are a sleeping giant in the AHL, and with Snowden taking over behind the bench, they could become the new juggernaut while also facilitating a successful rebuild for the NHL team.
