“You look at Knuble, you got Berglund, and you got Thompson. Three very young players that were playing down the middle of the rink today, and they all did a very good job” - John Snowden
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms are playing with their backs to the wall. They need every point they can get to remain in the playoff race and the weekend started with a tough test against a Bridgeport Islanders team that was on a three-game winning streak. The Phantoms played the game like they had everything to lose, jumping out to a 5-2 lead in the first period and winning 7-3.
The win over the Islanders was where the Phantoms next wave of prospects stood out. With Alex Bump, Denver Barkey, and Emil Andrae helping the Philadelphia Flyers make a playoff push, the Phantoms needed a spark from the next wave of young players. “You look at Knuble, you got Berglund, and you got Thompson. Three very young players that were playing down the middle of the rink today, and they all did a very good job,” head coach John Snowden noted after the win. The team got that spark from Cole Knuble, Jack Berglund, and Riley Thompson and it’s a positive sign, not just for the rest of this season but for the future as well.
Knuble is Learning the AHL
Cole Knuble has been with the Phantoms for a few weeks and only has six games at the American Hockey League level under his belt. He didn’t score in the recent game but he added an assist and impressed in all three zones.
He was on the ice a lot and was making plenty of plays for the Phantoms. His defensive play was also notable as the Phantoms had him on the ice late in the game to close things out. It’s his sixth game but he’s adapted quickly to the AHL and become a staple of the top six. “He’s a highly intelligent player. So, I mean, I think he's going to figure it out quickly,” Snowden added after the game.
Knuble isn’t the type of player who stands out when he’s on the ice. He doesn’t have a great shot and skates with a burst of speed. Instead, he’s the type of player who does all the small things well and makes the right plays. That’s what the Phantoms need for the home stretch and it’s what the Flyers are looking for in their bottom six someday.
Berglund Impresses in his AHL Debut
Berglund was thrown into the fire, playing on a team that is making a playoff push and centering a top-six line. With Lane Pederson out with an injury, Berglund centered the Phil Tomasino and Karsen Dorwart line which required him to set up the offense and make plays for the Phantoms scoring threats. He didn’t record a point but played the position well. “Berglund was strong in the dot. He made some good plays for us, good at holding on to pucks” Jacob Gaucher noted after the game.
It was the plays away from the puck where Berglund was at his best. “He’s smart, you can see how he is especially offensively, below the goal line when he gets a puck on a stick. He's really good at holding guys off. He can slip through some checks. He looks like he's never in a panic when the puck's on his stick” Snowden noted. Berglund kept plays alive and allowed the Phantoms to keep finding offense.
His debut was more impressive considering this is his first game on the North American ice. Berglund played in Sweden where the rink is bigger and there’s more space to work so the AHL, where space is hard to come by, is an adjustment. “There are a lot more chances. The game is going more back and forth, and it feels like something happens every time. And in Sweden maybe you can play five shifts and don’t even touch the puck and just play D zone. It's different but it's fun” Berglund mentioned after the game adding “I feel like this small ice suits me well to use my size and be strong along the boards.” He’s a center who can step up defensively and the AHL allows him to be close to the puck a lot more.
Flyers Next Wave of Prospects Will Make Their Marks Down the Road
The Phantoms are in the middle of a playoff push, trailing the Springfield Thunderbirds by four points with only four games to go. Young centers who can play both ends go a long way, especially when every game matters.
Even if the Phantoms miss the playoffs, which mathematically, is likely, they’ll have the building blocks for the future. Berglund and Knuble will center lines for the Phantoms and add a lot to the lineup. The Barkey, Bump, and Porter Martone group is in the NHL and it’s pivotal for the next group to pick up the slack. It’s what Berglund and Knuble are doing.