(Thanks for clarification on the minimum roster rule, I looked and wasn’t able to find it in the moment. Different sources were saying both 18 and 20 and I couldn’t locate the official one.)

I want to clarify my original post, in that I never meant that we had to go to 23 men on day one; but that I meant to convey that $700K pp (which was based on flawed numbers, it’s really closer to the league minimum 500K) is tight even to call up Phantoms’ players as needed, since many of them do cost more than that.

However, part of me worries slightly more about carrying a roster of only 20 because I’m not 100% sure they have completely adjusted their mindset for it. A year ago, calling up a Phantom could be a decision made just hours before game time without major ramifications. I’ve driven to Glens Falls from Cherry Hill, and in absolutely no traffic it’s a good 5.5 hours. Obviously I’m not saying that they aren’t aware that they moved the team, but I’m less comfortable with dropping the roster that far before they’ve actually played in that situation to realize that they do need to make those decisions with a lot more notice. I’m also not saying they need to go all the way to 23, but I think I would go to 21 by the time we’re ready to actually start the season, even if that counts current Phantoms players who end up making the team at the end of the summer. (And I’ll probably feel much better after practices start when I can see with my own eyes how everybody’s skating regarding previous injuries or surgeries.)

I definitely agree about 1M in call up room would be a good goal for Homer. It’s just a tricky situation all around.