Phantoms update:
12/12 – 6-3 WIN
12/13 – 5-2 LOSS
12/16 – 4-2 WIN
12/17 – 3-2 OT WIN
Samuel Morin (D): 1 GP, 1 assist, 2 PIM
2013 1st Round Pick, 11th overall
Morin makes a brief comeback from injury, playing in the game on 12/12. It’s been a rough year for Morin who appears to be NHL ready when he is healthy.
Mark Friedman (D): 3 GP, 1 assist, 6 shots
2014 3rd Round Pick, 86th overall
50 shots in 28 games for Friedman, who is still looking for that elusive first AHL goal.
Danick Martel (LW): 4 GP, 3 goals, 1 assist, 9 shots, 2 PIM
Undrafted Free Agent
Someone get this good hockey boy up in the NHL again, please? He has 17 goals in 27 games, which is tops in the AHL (tied with Valentin Zykov).
Mike Vecchione (C): 3 GP, 1 goal, 8 shots, 2 PIM
Undrafted Free Agent
Vecchione left the game on 12/9 and did not return. He’s now missed the last 4 games with an undisclosed injury. He sits at 21 points (7 G, 14 A) in 26 games.
Nicolas Aubé-Kubel (RW): 4 GP, 2 goals, 2 assists, 10 shots, 4 PIM
2014 2nd Round Pick, 48th overall
With a 4-point week, NAK eclipses his previous career-high in points. He now has 21 points (8 G, 13 A) in 30 games. With his improved defensive play to boot, Aubé-Kubel is slowly re-inserting himself into the bottom-6 conversation for the Flyers if he keeps this up.
Oskar Lindblom (LW): 4 GP, 1 goal, 2 assists, 11 shots, 2 PIM
2014 5th Round Pick, 138th overall
While his 18 points in 30 games doesn’t look overly impressive, he has 9 of those points in his last 12 games. The rookie will need to stay this pace if he wants to crack the Flyers lineup at some juncture this season.
Mikhail Vorobyev (C): 1 GP, 0 shots
2015 4th Round Pick, 104th overall
The Phantoms seem to have no luck with injuries this season. Vorobyev left 12/12’s game in the 2nd period. He joins Morin, Philippe Myers, Cole Bardreau, Colin McDonald, Max LaMarche and Mike Vecchione as un-abled bodies for LHV.
Notable Canadian junior performers this week:
Connor Bunnaman (C/LW), Kitchener Rangers (OHL)
2016 4th Round Pick, 109th overall
Bunnaman has been a model of offensive consistency, scoring 32 points (15 G, 17 A) in 32 games. His previous high in points-per-game (PPG) was 0.81 last season.
Anthony Salinitri (LW/C), Sarnia Sting (OHL)
2016 6th Round Pick, 172nd overall
- 12/13 – 1 assist, 5 shots, 2 for 5 FOW
- 12/15 – 1 goal, 1 assist, 2 shots, 1 for 2 FOW
- 12/16 – 1 goal, 5 shots, 3 for 4 FOW/
Salinitri also at a career-high points-per-game (PPG) pace with 33 (15 G, 18 A) of them in 35 games this season. The 4th year junior player is making a strong case for the Flyers to sign him to an entry-level contract after this season.
Morgan Frost (C), Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds (OHL)
2017 1st Round Pick, 27th overall
- 12/13 – 2 goals, 5 shots, 10 for 21 FOW
- 12/15 – 2 assists, 1 shot, 2 PIM, 16 for 21 FOW
- 12/16 – 2 goals, 2 assists, 4 shots, 9 for 14 FOW/
I’m running out of things to really say about Frost at this point. He has 55 points (19 G, 36 A) in 33 games. That is just somehow only good for 3rd best in the OHL, behind Jordan Kryou (STL) and Aaron Luchuk (Undrafted).
Isaac Ratcliffe (LW), Guelph Storm (OHL)
2017 2nd Round Pick, 35th overall
The hulking winger has been quite good recently, putting together 14 points in his last 13 games. He has 28 points (14 G, 14 A) in 32 games overall this season.
Maksim Sushko (RW), Owen Sound Attack (OHL)
2017 4th Round Pick, 107th overall
Don’t fret, the Belarusian winger has missed some time because he will be representing Belarus in the U20 World Junior Men’s Ice Hockey Championship. He enters the tournament with 26 points (16 G, 10 A) in 28 games for the Attack.
Matthew Strome (LW), Hamilton Bulldogs (OHL)
2017 4th Round Pick, 106th overall
- 12/14 – 1 goal, 1 assist, 2 shots, 1 for 1 FOW
- 12/15 – 1 goal, 1 shot, 0 for 1 FOW
- 12/17 – 1 assist, 2 shots/
Whether your name is Kurt or anyone else really, you’ve got to be impressed with how Strome’s season is rounding out. Despite the many critiques of his skating, the kid continues to put up points (1.09 PPG) and has 35 points (17 G, 18 A) in 32 games.
Carsen Twarynski (LW), Kelowna Rockets (WHL)
2016 3rd Round Pick, 82nd overall
- 12/12 – 1 goal, 2 shots, 1 for 1 FOW
- 12/13 – 6 shots, 3 for 6 FOW
- 12/15 – 2 goals, 2 assists, 2 shots, 1 for 4 FOW
- 12/16 – 1 goal, 1 shot, 2 for 3 FOW/
Twarynski is 29th in WHL scoring with 39 points (24 G, 15 A) in 31 games. The 4th year WHLer is solidifying his spot with the Phantoms next season.
Carter Hart (G), Everett Silvertips (WHL)
2016 2nd Round Pick, 48th overall
- 12/15 – DNP
- 12/16 – DNP
- 12/17 – DNP/
Don’t get scared, Hart is representing Team Canada in the U20 World Junior Championships and isn’t with the team currently. Let’s just assume he would have had a shutout in all of these games.
Pascal Laberge (C), Victoriaville Tigres (QMJHL)
2016 2nd Round Pick, 36th overall
A nice showing from Laberge on Friday despite the rumors that he will be traded as early as Monday (12/18) to the Quebec Remparts. It’s been a disappointing season for Laberge who sits at 20 points (6 G, 14 A) in 31 games.
German Rubtsov (C), Acadie-Bathurst Titan (QMJHL)
2016 1st Round Pick, 22nd overall
Rubtsov is another player who will be representing his country (Russia) in the U20 World Junior Championships. He enters the tournament with 25 points (8 G, 17 A) in 25 games.
Notable European performers this week
Ivan Fedotov (G), Toros Neftekamsk (VHL)
2015 7th Round Pick, 188th overall
Fedotov’s SV% has climbed over .900 for the first time this season!
Kirill Ustimenko (G), MHK Dynamo St. Petersburg (MHL)
2017 3rd Round Pick, 80th overall
The workhorse of a goalie has a .927 SV% in 31 games this season. One has to wonder if he might get an opportunity in the VHL or even KHL in the near future.
Euro Notes: Linus Högberg, David Bernhardt, Olle Lycksell and David Kaše were all on break last week as the Champions Hockey League finished up their tournament. Högberg will be representing Team Sweden in the upcoming U20 World Junior Championship. Felix Sandström remains out of action with what seems to be a season-ending injury.
Notable NCAA and USHL performers this week:
Noah Cates (LW), Omaha Lancers (USHL)
2017 5th Round Pick, 137th overall
Cates scores his 6th goal of the season. He has 12 points in 21 games for the Lancers.
Matej Tomek (G), Waterloo Black Hawks (USHL)
2015 3rd Round Pick, 90th overall
- 12/16 – 1 GA, 28 saves/
Tomek bounces back from a couple of tough starts and has his best outing of the season. He holds a .903 SV% in 11 GP.
NCAA Notes: All the NCAA prospects will be out of action for their winter break. Look for updates on the college kids in a couple weeks.
