The Phantoms were one of the surprising teams to miss the playoffs last season, and with a new young core on the way, they look to bounce back in year two of the John Snowden era.
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms looked like one of the best teams in the American Hockey League two months into the 2025-26 season. They were 11-6-1-2 heading into December, led by a high-flying offense featuring two exciting young wingers. Then everything fell apart. The Phantoms missed the playoffs and were a bottom-of-the-league team down the stretch.
It was worthwhile for the NHL team. The Philadelphia Flyers made the players and got some help from the prospects who were developed in Lehigh Valley. The two exciting young wingers, Denver Barkey and Alex Bump, gave the Flyers enough of a boost to snap their playoff drought. So, the Phantoms' struggles were part of the trade-off that comes in the AHL.
The Phantoms have a new wave of prospects joining this season. They are poised to make an impact on the Flyers either this season or next. However, this time around, the Phantoms are eager to remove the bad taste of how last season unraveled and make the playoffs while developing the prospects.
Stats from 2025-26:
Record: 31-35-3-3 (7th in the Atlantic Division, 13th in the Eastern Conference & 26th in the AHL)
Offense: 2.91 goals per game (tied for 22nd in the AHL)
Defense: 3.43 goals per game (29th in the AHL)
The Burning Question: How Will The Phantoms Improve The Defense?
The Phantoms struggled across the board in the second half of last season. What particularly let them down was the defense, which allowed 3.43 goals per game and fell apart down the stretch, allowing 3.85 goals per game in the final two months of the season. They were awful on the defensive end and worse in the net.
The net is where the improvement must begin. The goaltending tandem of Aleksei Kolosov and Carson Bjarnason had a combined save percentage of .881, and Bjarnason needed a reset in the second half, which a move to the Reading Royals in the ECHL provided. Kolosov is a placeholder but the prospect goaltender is expected to improve with another AHL season under his belt and help the Phantoms defense in the process.
The defensive unit is adding Cam Dineen, a veteran blueliner who will add stability, while Hunter McDonald’s return and a healthy Ty Murchison should turn them around (assuming both McDonald and Murchison are on the Phantoms all season). Plus, between the prospects, one of the defensemen will likely remain in the AHL to develop and become the two-way defenseman they lean on.
Another layer to the defensive play is how the Phantoms centers hold up. They don’t have Lane Pederson, who left in free agency, and instead are younger up the middle. That said, if the prospects step up defensively, it will go a long way both for their NHL outlook and the Phantoms' success.
Why The Phantoms Are Optimistic
The Phantoms fell apart last season, yet there’s still a lot to like heading into this season. Behind the bench, head coach John Snowden returns with a second year of experience and will manage the team differently. They hit a wall last season, and he’ll have the team prepared for that wall that hits every team at some point in the AHL.
They lost multiple veterans this summer, including some of their best players. Pederson was their top-line center, while Phil Tomasino, Boris Katchouk, Christian Kyrou, and Adam Ginning were all key contributors last season.
That said, they signed a handful of big names, including Jack Studnicka, Danila Klimovich, and Zach Aston-Reese, all of whom will provide scoring to the forward unit. Likewise, Dineen will help the defense as a stay-at-home option who can pair with the prospects.
It’s also worth noting that the prospect pool, while not as talented as last season’s, is still one of the best in the league. More importantly, a handful of the players will be the driving forces for the Phantoms all season, especially if the Flyers keep them in the AHL and don’t rush them up.
Prospects To Watch
Jett Luchanko still isn’t ready for the NHL, and at this point, another season in the Ontario Hockey League doesn’t help him develop. There’s a good argument that the new rules would have benefitted him the most last season since he needs time in the AHL. This season is a pivotal one for Luchanko, who the Flyers hope can become a top-six center down the road, and his time with the Phantoms will be a strong indicator of his future.
The Flyers have three defensemen fighting for one roster spot, with David Jiricek, Oliver Bonk, and Simon Beniot all jockeying for position. Between Bonk and Jiricek, one of them will be on the Phantoms this season and become the two-way defenseman to build around.
Cole Knuble joined the Phantoms late last season and showed flashes in seven games. He can become one of the centers they rely on, especially on the defensive end. The Flyers need centers but also might look for a checking-line center down the road. Knuble can become that player.
