American Hockey League team in Allentown, Pennsylvania
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms are a professional
ice hockey team based in
Allentown, Pennsylvania . The team competes in the
American Hockey League (AHL) and serves as the primary development team for the
Philadelphia Flyers of the
National Hockey League .
[1]
The Phantoms have been the top minor league affiliate for the Flyers since the
1996–97 season, playing in
Philadelphia as the
Philadelphia Phantoms from 1996 until 2009, then in
Glens Falls, New York , as the
Adirondack Phantoms from 2010 until 2013, and in Allentown as the Lehigh Valley Phantoms since 2014.
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms play their home games at
PPL Center , an 8,500 capacity, $282 million indoor arena that opened in downtown Allentown on September 10, 2014.
History
In March 2011, plans were announced for a new arena, the
PPL Center , in downtown
Allentown, Pennsylvania . Demolition at the arena site began in January 2012.
[2] In February 2012, it was announced that the
Adirondack Phantoms , a franchise that originated as the
Philadelphia Phantoms , would relocate to the PPL Center in Allentown from
Glens Falls, New York . The franchise originally intended to begin play in Allentown in 2013, but due to litigation over the construction of PPL Center, the team did not play until the
2014–15 AHL season . The purple color used since the team's inception was replaced by electric blue when the team relocated to the Lehigh Valley.
[1]
The arena has been consistently full. During the
2015–16 season , the PPL Center was filled at a 97.9% capacity on average, and had 24 sellouts in the 38 Phantoms home games, including the last 13. The Phantoms finished seventh in the AHL attendance rankings with an average of 8,244 fans, surpassed only by teams with larger venues.
[3]
Mascot
On August 13, 2014, the Phantoms introduced their new mascot "meLVin".
[4] meLVin wears the number 55, which is LV in Roman numerals. The LV refers to
Lehigh Valley . He became the Phantoms' third mascot after "Phlex" (Philadelphia Phantoms) and "Dax" (Adirondack Phantoms).
Season-by-season results
Records as of April 23, 2023.
[5]
Regular season
Playoffs
Season
GP
W
L
T
OTL
SOL
Pts
PCT
GF
GA
Standing
Year
Prelims
1st round
2nd round
3rd round
Finals
2014–15
76
33
35
—
7
1
74
.487
194
237
4th, East
2015
Did not qualify
2015–16
76
34
35
—
4
3
75
.493
215
222
7th, Atlantic
2016
Did not qualify
2016–17
76
48
23
—
5
0
101
.664
260
219
2nd, Atlantic
2017
—
L, 2–3,
HER
—
—
—
2017–18
76
47
19
—
5
5
104
.684
260
218
1st, Atlantic
2018
—
W, 3–1,
PRO
W, 4–1,
CHA
L, 0–4,
TOR
—
2018–19
76
39
30
—
4
3
85
.559
240
244
5th, Atlantic
2019
Did not qualify
2019–20
62
24
28
—
3
7
58
.468
161
186
7th, Atlantic
2020
Season cancelled due to the
COVID-19 pandemic
2020–21
32
18
7
1
[a]
4
2
43
.672
96
92
2nd, North
2021
No playoffs were held
2021–22
76
29
32
—
10
5
73
.480
195
239
8th, Atlantic
2022
Did not qualify
2022–23
72
37
29
—
3
3
80
.556
221
226
6th, Atlantic
2023
L, 1–2,
CHA
—
—
—
—
Totals
622
309
238
1
45
29
693
.557
1842
1883
3 playoff appearances
^ A game between the Phantoms and
Binghamton Devils was suspended while tied and not completed, resulting in a 1–1 tie and a point for each team.
[6]
Current roster
Updated April 17, 2024.
[7]
[8]
[9]
Team roster
No.
Nat
Player
Pos
S /
G
Age
Acquired
Birthplace
Contract
6
Emil Andrae
D
L
22
2023
Västervik ,
Sweden
Flyers
12
Ronnie Attard
D
R
25
2022
White Lake Township, Michigan
Flyers
16
Jon-Randall Avon
C
L
20
2023
Peterborough, Ontario
Flyers
7
Louie Belpedio (
A )
D
R
27
2022
Skokie, Illinois
Flyers
39
Jacques Bouquot
F
R
24
2024
Columbus, Ohio
Phantoms
23
Bobby Brink
RW
R
22
2022
Minnetonka, Minnesota
Flyers
24
Adam Brooks
C
L
27
2022
Winnipeg, Manitoba
Flyers
46
Matt Brown
LW
L
24
2023
Wood Ridge, New Jersey
Phantoms
91
Elliot Desnoyers
LW
L
22
2022
Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec
Flyers
13
Brendan Furry
LW
L
25
2023
Toledo, Ohio
Phantoms
31
Parker Gahagen
G
L
30
2023
Amherst, New York
Phantoms
22
Rhett Gardner
C
L
28
2023
Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan
Flyers
56
Jacob Gaucher
F
R
23
2023
Longueuil, Quebec
Phantoms
37
Adam Ginning
D
L
24
2022
Linköping, Sweden
Flyers
2
Helge Grans
D
R
21
2023
Ljungby ,
Sweden
Flyers
18
Tyler Gratton
RW
L
24
2024
Pottstown, Pennsylvania
Phantoms
3
Adam Karashik
D
R
26
2022
Ridgefield, Connecticut
Phantoms
35
Alexei Kolosov
G
L
22
2024
Minsk ,
Belarus
Flyers
9
Tanner Laczynski
C
R
26
2021
Shorewood, Illinois
Flyers
28
Olle Lycksell
LW
L
24
2022
Oskarshamn, Sweden
Flyers
19
Hunter McDonald (
ATO )
D
L
21
2024
Fairport, New York
Phantoms
20
Cooper Marody
C
R
27
2022
Brighton, Michigan
Flyers
98
Victor Mete (
A )
D
L
25
2023
Woodbridge, Ontario
Flyers
25
Matt Miller
RW
R
24
2024
Leo, Indiana
Phantoms
8
Mason Millman
D
L
22
2021
London, Ontario
Flyers
40
Cal Petersen
G
R
29
2023
Waterloo, Iowa
Flyers
10
Evan Polei
LW
L
28
2023
Wetaskiwin, Alberta
Phantoms
5
Ethan Samson
D
R
20
2023
Delta, British Columbia
Flyers
32
Felix Sandstrom
G
L
27
2019
Gävle, Sweden
Flyers
27
Samu Tuomaala
RW
R
21
2023
Oulu ,
Finland
Flyers
17
Garrett Wilson (
C )
LW
L
32
2021
Elmvale, Ontario
Phantoms
14
Zayde Wisdom
C
R
21
2021
Toronto, Ontario
Flyers
27
Will Zmolek
D
R
25
2023
Rochester, Minnesota
Flyers
Team captains
Team records
Lehigh Valley Phantoms take on
Laval Rocket at
PPL Center in
Allentown , January 11, 2020
Lehigh Valley Phantoms play the
Hartford Wolf Pack at
PPL Center in
Allentown , December 14, 2019
As of the 2022–23 season
[5]
Single season
Goals:
Greg Carey , 31 (2017–18)
Assists:
Phil Varone , 47 (2017–18)
Points: Phil Varone, 70 (2017–18)
Penalty minutes:
Jay Rosehill , 219 (2014–15)
GAA:
Jean-Francois Berube , 2.56 (2019–20)
SV%:
Rob Zepp , .917 (2014–15)
Wins:
Alex Lyon (2016–17), 27
Shutouts:
Dustin Tokarski (2017–18), 5
Goaltending records need a minimum 25 games played by the goaltender
Career
Career goals: Greg Carey, 103
Career assists:
Chris Conner , 128
Career points: Chris Conner, 199
Career penalty minutes:
Garrett Wilson , 338
Career goaltending wins: Alex Lyon, 75
Career shutouts: Alex Lyon, 6
Career games: Greg Carey, 277
Individual awards
Les Cunningham Award (AHL Most Valuable Player)
Phil Varone 2017–18
[10]
First All-Star Team
T.J. Brennan 2016–17
[11]
Phil Varone: 2017–18
[12]
Second All-Star Team
T.J. Brennan 2017–18
[12]
Head coaches
References
^
a
b Kraus, Scott; Assad, Matt (November 14, 2012).
"Allentown's hockey team will be Lehigh Valley Phantoms" .
The Morning Call . Archived from
the original on May 25, 2013. Retrieved June 6, 2013 .
^ Kraus, Scott (March 5, 2012).
"More details of Phantoms' Allentown arena, hotel, offices emerge" .
The Morning Call . Archived from
the original on October 3, 2012. Retrieved October 3, 2012 .
^ Prass, Paul (April 19, 2016).
"Phantoms Leave Fans Optimistic For 2016–17 | The Home News" . The Home News . Retrieved April 19, 2016 .
^ Kraus, Scott (August 13, 2014).
"Phantoms' new mascot, meLVin, makes his debut" .
The Morning Call . Retrieved August 13, 2014 .
^
a
b
"Lehigh Valley Phantoms Statistics and History" . HockeyDB . Retrieved January 22, 2018 .
^
"Game Preview – Phantoms at Devils – Game #22" . Lehigh Valley Phantoms . April 26, 2021.
^
"Roster – Lehigh Valley Phantoms" . Lehigh Valley Phantoms . Retrieved April 17, 2024 .
^
"Lehigh Valley Phantoms Roster" .
American Hockey League . Retrieved April 17, 2024 .
^
"Lehigh Valley Phantoms Transactions" .
American Hockey League . Retrieved April 17, 2024 .
^
"Phantoms' Varone voted AHL MVP" .
American Hockey League . April 13, 2018. Retrieved May 14, 2018 .
^
"2016-17 AHL First, Second All-Star Teams unveiled" .
American Hockey League . April 6, 2017. Retrieved May 14, 2018 .
^
a
b
"2017-18 AHL First, Second All-Star Teams unveiled" .
American Hockey League . April 5, 2018. Retrieved May 14, 2018 .
^
"Phantoms/Flyers Organization Mutually Agree to Part Ways with Phantoms Head Coach Scott Gordon" . OurSports Central . May 18, 2021. Retrieved May 18, 2021 .
^
"Ian Laperriere Named Phantoms Head Coach" . Lehigh Valley Phantoms . June 5, 2021. Retrieved June 5, 2021 .
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