2023 Lehigh Valley Phantoms Offseason Player Tracker

SEASON SYNOPSIS

With the expanded Calder Cup Playoffs announced by the AHL in August 2021, it gave room for the Atlantic Division to admit six teams to the postseason instead of four like previous years. That in mind, the benefactor of the playoffs including more members this year was none other than the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

How did the Phantoms make use of their first round match-up? By being one of two teams to take the preliminary round to all three games to determine a winner. Sadly, it did not go in Lehigh Valley’s favor, suffering a two games to one series loss after capturing Game 1 but dropping the final two.

Five players finished the season with 40 points or more, but forward Tyson Foerster led the pack with 48 on the year. Rookie Elliot Desnoyers finished first in team goals (23) while forward Olle Lycksell earned the most assists (31). Winger Cooper Marody earned AHL Player of the Week honors for the week ending on March 12, 2023. His six goals and three assists for nine points total helped the Phantoms sweep the weekend against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Belleville, and Utica.

(List accurate as of Sept. 19th, 6:40pm ET)

UNDER CONTRACT AND RE-SIGNINGS

Forwards

• Bobby Brink – Last year of entry-level contract
• Adam Brooks – Last year of two-way NHL contract
• Elliot Desnoyers – Second-to-last year of entry-level contract
• Tyson Foerster – Second-to-last year of entry-level contract
• Jacob Gaucher – Last year of two-way AHL contract (played all of 2022-23 season with ECHL Reading)
• Cooper Marody – Last year of two-way NHL contract
• Zayde Wisdom – Second-to-last year of entry-level contract
• Brendan Furry – Signed a PTO plus two-year AHL contract (good thru 2024-25) on April 3
• Garrett Wilson – Signed a two-year AHL contract extension on May 11
• Olle Lycksell – Signed a two-year, two-way NHL contract on July 13
• Jordy Bellerive – Signed a one-year AHL contract on July 20
• Alex Kile – Signed a one-year AHL contract on August 8 (played majority of 2022-23 with ECHL Maine)

Defensemen

• Adam Ginning – Last year of entry-level contract
• Mason Millman – Last year of entry-level contract (played almost all of 2022-23 season with ECHL Reading)
• Will Zmolek – Signed a one-year, entry-level NHL contract on March 7 (played for Lehigh Valley on an ATO and Bemidji State Univ. [NCAA] in 2022-23)
• Emil Andrae – Signed a three-year, entry-level NHL contract on March 27 (played for Lehigh Valley on a PTO and HV71 of the SHL in 2022-23)
• Yegor Zamula – Signed a one-year, one-way NHL contract extension on May 2
• Louis Belpedio – Signed a two-year, two-way NHL contract extension on June 24
• Ronnie Attard – Signed a two-year, two-way NHL contract on July 5
• Adam Karashik – Signed a one-year AHL contract on July 25

Goaltenders

• Felix Sandström – Last year of one-way NHL contract
• Nolan Maier – Signed one-year AHL contract extension on July 27
• Samuel Ersson – Signed a two-year, one-way NHL contract extension (beginning 2024-25) on August 5 (currently in last year of entry-level contract)

NEW ADDITIONS

Forwards

• Jon-Randall Avon – First year of entry-level contract (entry-level slide; played for the Peterborough Pets of the OHL in 2022-23)
• Rhett Gardner – Signed a two-year, two-way NHL contract on July 1 (played for Texas in 2022-23)
• Evan Polei – Signed a one-year AHL contract on August 1 (played for Manitoba in 2022-23)
• Ryan Chyzowski – Signed a one-year AHL contract on August 10 (played 36 games for AHL Toronto and five games for ECHL Newfoundland in 2022-23)
• Tanner Fritz – Signed a one-year AHL contract on September 5 (played for Hartford in 2022-23)

Defensemen

• Ethan Samson – First year of entry-level contract (entry-level slide; played for the Prince George Cougars of the WHL in 2022-23)
• Helge Grans – Acquired via three-team trade from Los Angeles on June 6 (played for the Ontario Reign in 2022-23)
• Victor Mete – Signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract on July 5 (played for the Toronto Maple Leafs and Marlies in 2022-23)
• Darren Brady – Signed a one-year AHL contract on August 3 (played for the San Jose Barracuda and ECHL Idaho in 2022-23)
• Koletrane Wilson – Signed a one-year AHL contract on August 3 (played for ECHL Indy in 2022-23)

Goaltenders

• Ivan Fedotov – Last year of entry-level NHL contract (rumored to return to CSKA Moskva as of May 1)
• Aleksei Kolosov – Signed a three-year, entry-level NHL contract on July 8 (played for Dinamo Minsk of the KHL in 2022-23; loaned to Dinamo Minsk for 2023-24 on July 18)
• Parker Gahagen – Signed a one-year AHL contract on August 10 (played for ECHL Jacksonville in 2022-23)

DEPARTURES

Forwards

• Charlie Gerard – Signed a one-year contract with the Nürnberg Ice Tigers of the DEL on May 26 (played majority of 2022-23 season with ECHL Reading)
• Hayden Hodgson – Traded to Los Angeles in three-team trade on June 6
• Cal O’Reilly – Signed a one-year AHL contract with Milwaukee on July 3
• Ryan Fitzgerald – Signed a one-year AHL contract with Utica on July 10
• Jackson Cates – Signed a PTO with the New York Islanders on September 12
• Max Willman – Signed a PTO with New Jersey on September 13
• Artyom Anisimov – Signed a PTO with Detroit on September 19

Defensemen

• Garrett McFadden – Signed a one-year contract with HK Poprad of the Slovakian Tipos Extraliga on May 31 (played all of 2022-23 season with ECHL Reading)
• Kevin Connauton – Traded to Los Angeles in three-team trade on June 6
• Colin Felix – Signed a one-year, one-way AHL contract with Utica on July 6 (played all of 2022-23 season with ECHL Reading)
• Will MacKinnon – Signed a one-year, two-way AHL contract with Utica on July 20 (played all of 2022-23 season with ECHL Reading)
• Wyatte Wylie – Signed a one-year AHL contract with Ontario on August 2 (was not extended qualifying offer on June 14)

Goaltenders

• Troy Grosenick – Signed a one-year, two-way NHL contract with Nashville on July 1

FREE AGENTS

Goaltenders

• Pat Nagle – UFA (AHL); played majority of 2022-23 season for ECHL Reading

(Special thanks to CapFriendly and Elite Prospects for all the contract terms and definitions for this offseason player tracker!)

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Other 2023 AHL Off Season Trackers :

Links will be updated as articles are released.

Central

• Chicago Wolves
• Grand Rapids Griffins
• Iowa Wild
• Manitoba Moose
• Milwaukee Admirals
• Rockford IceHogs
• Texas Stars

Pacific

• Abbotsford Canucks
• Bakersfield Condors
• Calgary Wranglers
• Coachella Valley Firebirds
• Colorado Eagles
• Henderson Silver Knights
• Ontario Reign
• San Diego Gulls
• San Jose Barracuda
• Tucson Roadrunners

Atlantic

• Bridgeport Islanders
• Charlotte Checkers
• Hartford Wolf Pack
• Hershey Bears
• Lehigh Valley Phantoms
• Providence Bruins
• Springfield Thunderbirds 
• Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

North

• Belleville Senators
• Cleveland Monsters
• Laval Rocket
• Rochester Americans
• Syracuse Crunch
• Toronto Marlies
• Utica Comets