Phantoms update:
1/24 – 3-2 WIN
1/26 – 5-2 WIN
1/27 – 3-2 OT LOSS
Samuel Morin (D): 0 GP
2013 1st Round Pick, 11th overall
I’m not sure if this kid will ever catch a break and may even start getting the same durability reputation as the Phillies’ prospect Roman Quinn. This was his last shift in a game on 1/20. Not much is known about the injury at this point or how long he might be out.
Philippe Myers (D): 3 GP, 1 assist, 6 shots,4 PIM
Undrafted Free Agent
We’ll happily continue to take points from Myers. He is up to 12 (3 G, 9 A) in 28 games while battling various injuries this season. The ceiling is still sky-high for Myers.
Travis Sanheim (D): 3 GP, 1 assist, 2 shots
2014 1st Round Pick, 17th overall
Sadly, we’ll be reporting on Sanheim for the foreseeable future as he “fine tunes” his game. Last season in the AHL he had 37 points (10 G, 27 A) in 76 games.
Mark Friedman (D): 3 GP, 6 shots
2014 3rd Round Pick, 86th overall
Friedman last had a point in a game on 12/13. He has 9 assists in 41 games this season.
Mike Vecchione (C): 3 GP, 3 goals, 9 shots
Undrafted Free Agent
Vecchione scored a goal in each game this weekend. You can see them here, here and here. The AHL rookie has 28 points (11 G, 17 A) in 39 games. His 0.72 Pt/G is 11th among all AHL rookies.
Nicolas Aubé-Kubel (RW): 3 GP, 2 goals, 2 assists, 6 shots
2014 2nd Round Pick, 48th overall
What happens when you suddenly start putting up points and driving play as a 21 year old in the AHL? You become a prospect again! While I don’t think his current shooting percentage is going to hold (18%), his possession numbers (6.89 CF% Rel) back up that he may be turning a major corner in his road to the NHL.
Oskar Lindblom (LW): 3 GP, 1 goal, 9 shots, 2 PIM
2014 5th Round Pick, 138th overall
Speaking of rookies succeeding, Lindblom is continually improving as he adjusts to the North American game. He even represented the Phantoms (along with T.J. Brennan) in the AHL All-Star Game festivities on Sunday/Monday.
Mikhail Vorobyev (C): 2 GP, 1 assist, 3 shots
2015 4th Round Pick, 104th overall
Vorobyev is back after an extended absence due to injury. The young Russian centerman was settling in nicely in an AHL role. He has 13 points (4 G, 9 A) in 29 AHL as a rookie.
Cole Bardreau (C): 3 GP, 1 assist, 4 shots, 2 PIM
Undrafted Free Agent
The organization and beat writers love this guy. To Bardreau’s credit though, he has scored at a decent pace (0.57 PPG) to go along with his rough and tumble play.
Alex Lyon (G): 2 GP, 2 GA, 56 saves
Undrafted Free Agent
Lyon gave up two goals in the game on Wednesday, en route to a victory. He even pitched a 26-save shutout in relief of Dustin Tokarski’s 2 goals on 4 shot effort on Saturday. After 24 appearances this season, Lyon’s SV% is creeping closer to respectability (.910).
Phantoms Notes: Danick Martel (RW) remains out with an injury (broken jaw).
Notable Canadian junior performers this week:
Connor Bunnaman (C/LW), Kitchener Rangers (OHL)
2016 4th Round Pick, 109th overall
Bunnaman was able to score in back-to-back games (1/21 & 1/23), but otherwise has been pretty quiet since the beginning of January. He has just 38 points (19 G, 19 A) in 47 games and I would highly suspect he doesn’t reach his career-high total in goals (37) or points (52) before the end of the season (that’d be: not good).
Anthony Salinitri (LW/C), Sarnia Sting (OHL)
2016 6th Round Pick, 172nd overall
- 1/26 – 1 assist, 3 shots, 4 for 11 FOW
- 1/27 – 4 shots, 0 for 2 FOW
- 1/28 – 1 shot, 4 PIM, 1 for 4 FOW/
Another 2016 draft pick that hasn’t taken that bigger step in his draft +2 season. Salinitri is currently at 41 points (18 G, 23 A) in 49 games and is only 8th in scoring on a very good offensive Sarnia team.
Morgan Frost (C), Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
2017 1st Round Pick, 27th overall
- 1/26 – 3 assists, 13 for 18 FOW
- 1/27 – 2 assists, 2 shots, 8 for 21 FOW
- 1/28 – 1 goal, 1 assist, 3 shots, 13 for 22 FOW/
Morgan Frost hadn’t gone that long (4 games) without a goal since a 5-game stretch back in late-September to early-October. The dynamic centerman has 79 points (28 G, 51 A) in 47 games, which is 2nd in OHL scoring. His 62 primary points (goals + primary assists) are best in the league. Here is his 28th goal of the season and a bonus sweet dish to boot.
Isaac Ratcliffe (LW), Guelph Storm (OHL)
2017 2nd Round Pick, 35th overall
- 1/26 – 3 goals, 1 assist, 5 shots, 0 for 1 FOW
- 1/27 – 2 shots, 2 PIM, 0 for 2 FOW
- 1/28 – 1 goal, 7 shots, 0 for 1 FOW/
Maybe I shouldn’t rank Ratcliffe in my Top 25 under 25 more often. That was his first career hat-trick in juniors. You can see all 3 of his hat-trick goals here. The 18 year old is up to 42 points (26 G, 16 A) in 46 games.
Matthew Strome (LW), Hamilton Bulldogs (OHL)
2017 4th Round Pick, 106th overall
- 1/26 – 2 assists, 1 shot, 1 for 2 FOW
- 1/27 – 3 shots, 4 PIM, 0 for 1 FOW
- 1/28 – 6 shots, 2 for 3 FOW/
This may have been the quietest Strome week update since October. That should tell you all you need to know about how his season has gone. Strome has 49 points (28 G, 21 G) in 46 games in his 3rd OHL season.
Maksim Sushko (RW), Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
2017 4th Round Pick, 107th overall
The Mak Attack was a bit subdued this past week. Impressively, the 2nd year OHLer is nearly a point-per-game player at 36 (21 G, 15 A) in 38 games.
Carsen Twarynski (LW), Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
2016 3rd Round Pick, 82nd overall
- 1/24 – 1 goal, 1 assist, 4 shots, 2 PIM, 3 for 4 FOW
- 1/26 – 1 assist, 3 shots, 0 for 3 FOW
- 1/27 – 2 shots, 4 for 7 FOW/
Twarynski’s 53 points (31 G, 22 A) in 46 games are good for 38th best in WHL scoring. The question now is are we seeing him breakout finally or is he simply doing so well because this is his 4th season in the WHL? My guess is he gets an ELC from the Flyers.
Carter Hart (G), Everett Silvertips (WHL)
2016 2nd Round Pick, 48th overall
A not-good, not-bad week for Hart. No cause for alarm as the prospect phenom has a .953 SV% in 24 games despite the shellacking he took on Sunday.
Pascal Laberge (C), Quebec Remparts (QMJHL)
2016 2nd Round Pick, 36th overall
The multi-point games are nice, but it’s still nowhere near where most expected him to be this season. Laberge has 31 points (11 G, 20 A) in 45 games with both Quebec and Victoriaville this season. This is his fourth season in the Q.
German Rubtsov (C), Acadie-Bathurst Titan (QMJHL)
2016 1st Round Pick, 22nd overall
Rubtsov is a player I’m less concerned about than the previously mentioned Laberge. He has been a point-per-game player for both A-B (23 points in 23 games) and Chicoutimi (11 in 11) with his share of moments. Combined with an above-average appearance in the WJC 2017, next season will be a huge hurdle regardless if its another year in the Q or with the Phantoms in the AHL.
Notable European performers this week
Linus Högberg (D), Växjö Lakers HC (SHL)
2016 5th Round Pick, 139th overall
That was Högberg’s 4th assist on the season and 5th point in 30 games.
David Bernhardt (D), Djurgårdens IF (SHL)
2016 7th Round Pick, 199th overall
Points! They don’t come often for Bernhardt, though his role seems to have been increasing in recent weeks. He has 8 points (1 G, 7 A) in 38 games.
David Kaše (C/W), Mora IK (SHL)
2015 5th Round Pick, 128th overall
Though he has dealt with injuries, Kase’s SHL rookie season had been better than I (or most) have expected this season. He has 15 points (5 G, 10 A) in 32 games.
Olle Lycksell (RW/C), Linköping HC (SHL)
2017 6th Round Pick, 168th overall
It’s impressive that Lycksell has been involved has he has been with Linköping since his promotion given that he is still just 18 years old playing in the SHL. Lycksell is at 6 points (4 G, 2 A) in 21 games at the highest level in Swedish hockey.
Felix Sandström (G), IK Oskarshamn (Allsvenskan)
2015 3rd Round Pick, 70th overall
- 1/24 – DNP
- 1/26 – 2 GA, 34 saves/
After missing a few games, Sandström returned to the lineup for his best effort so far in his rehab journey back. We’re still not quite sure how many more of these he’ll need before rejoining his SHL team.
Ivan Fedotov (G), Toros Neftekamsk (VHL)
2015 7th Round Pick, 188th overall
- 1/23 – DNP/
By my count that is 4 games in a row in which Fedotov has been in the backup. His disappointing season has him staring at a .896 SV%.
Kirill Ustimenko (G), MHK Dynamo St. Petersburg (MHL)
2017 3rd Round Pick, 80th overall
- 1/25 – 2 GA, 29 saves/
Another solid start added to his impressive .925 SV% this season in 40 games for St. Petersburg.
Notable NCAA and USHL performers this week:
Tanner Laczynski (C), Ohio State University
2016 6th Round Pick, 169th overall
Laczynski’s 36 points (12 G, 24 A) in 26 games is only 3 points behind the NCAA leader. Of the 5 players above him on the leaderboard, 4 are older than him and/or have played more than 2 collegiate seasons.
Cooper Marody (C), University of Michigan
2015 6th Round Pick, 158th overall
Marody (and Warren) were killed by the aforementioned Ohio State University this past weekend. Unfortunately, that meant Marody falling further back in the NCAA scoring race (16th place with 31 points in 26 games).
Brendan Warren (LW), University of Michigan
2015 3rd Round Pick, 81st overall
After a nice couple weeks, Warren was back to his usual results. He has 12 points (7 G, 5 A) in 26 games.
Wyatt Kalynuk (D), University of Wisconsin
2017 7th Round Pick, 196th overall
No points for Kalynuk who slips back to 21st in NCAA scoring among defensemen with 20 points (2 G, 18 A) in 29 games.
Terrance Amorosa (D), Clarkson University
2013 5th Round Pick, 132nd overall
Amorosa’s fine senior year continues with his 6th goal of the season (2 more than his career-high during his sophomore campaign).
Noah Cates (LW), Omaha Lancers (USHL)
2017 5th Round Pick, 137th overall
Cates has climbed up to 4th in scoring for the Lancers after a slow start. He has 25 points (9 G, 16 A) in 34 games.
Matej Tomek (G), Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL)
2015 3rd Round Pick, 90th overall
Tomek did not play and was the backup for both games this past weekend. He remains at a .907 SV%.
NCAA Notes: Wade Allison is out for the season with a lower-body injury.
