2024-25: Phantoms (AHL), Reading Royals (ECHL), NCAA, Jrs., Int'l, etc.

[deadhead]

DH is probably right here. The Flyers are not going to reach out for an innovative coach. It’s not their style. Grinders are who they usually hire-Hitch, Tortorella, Sullivan are their brand.

Hmm.
How many Cups has this group won?

There's a lot of "innovative" HCs who didn't make it past 3 years on the job.

 

[Beef Invictus]

Ah yeah sometimes hiring a new coach fails, better to hire known bad coaches. All aboard the Lappy Express!

 

[Larry44]

Ah yeah sometimes hiring a new coach fails, better to hire known bad coaches. All aboard the Lappy Express!

Job Posting: Head Coach, Philadelphia Flyers. Qualifications:
- Veteran coach who plays a grinding style, suppresses offense and does not value young players
- Previous head injury is preferable.

 

[Beef Invictus]

Job Posting: Head Coach, Philadelphia Flyers. Qualifications:
- Veteran coach who plays a grinding style, suppresses offense and does not value young players
- Previous head injury is preferable.

I love and appreciate Lappy as a player. But your hiring process for permanent employment really can't be "yo check out how brain damaged this dude is!"

 

[pit]

"yo check out how brain damaged this dude is!"

And then have it also be a positive attribute when the answer is "a whole hell of a lot".

 

[captainpaxil]

I think Smith is the heir apparent at the NHL level. Former captain and all plus he played with briere.
Lapis is just the scapegoat for bad prospects our center depth is atrocious

 

[deadhead]

Centers should be better at LHV this season:

Richard, Rizzo, Abols, Desnoyers, Gardner.

Not sure any have NHL future (Rizzo?, Desnoyers at LW?) but should be solid for AHL.

 

[JustJeff]

It looks like AHL games will now be shown on Flo Hockey. About $12/month and I think you'll also get to watch USHL games, plus some other pro and amateur leagues.

 

[deadhead]

What's the story with Jack Berglund?
Played one game with J20 but listed on the Farjestad SHL roster.

Supposedly he gained 20 lbs last year, measured 6'4 210 at the Combine
April birthday, so he's not some overage prospect.

And now his skates fit.

 

[deadhead]

https://www.nytimes.com/athletic/5691471/2024/09/18/philadelphia-flyers-prospect-noah-powell-hearing-loss/

Nice story by Scott Wheeler on Powell.
Kid had 42 goals his last 45 games last year, now off to Ohio State.
Fell in the draft b/c he was overage and has a hearing issue.
Turns out the OSU HC has a daughter with a hearing disability as well, so good situation for him.
Gym rat.

 

[deadhead]

@Appleyard
How good is the

J20 Nationell?
Berglund is off to a hot start, is this equivalent to D+1 in the CHL?

 

[Appleyard]

@Appleyard
How good is the

J20 Nationell?
Berglund is off to a hot start, is this equivalent to D+1 in the CHL?

It is okay. But slightly diluted as they play regionally for a lot of the year. (21 teams split into North (11) and South (10)).

MHL is better and the conversion stats I have say Finnish U-20 is slightly better too.

And ofc CHL and USHL are better.

1 P/GP in J20 is worth ~0.80 P/GP in the CHL and USHL. (albeit those leagues have some variation, but tbh not an enormous deal)

If a player is going to be an NHLer generally they have to get a full time pro role by end of draft+1. Very rare for anyone who does not to make it.

But yeh, nice enough start... but he should be expected to be over P/GP whatever as if he was not that would mean he was tentative to ever even be an SHLer in draft+1.

 

[deadhead]

This is confusing, looking at the SHL club (EP) 2024-25 stats:
Berglund 4g 1-2 3 - Championship series
But no games in SHL season so far. He's not listed on their roster, but only 12 forwards.

Are they just stashing him in JR until the SHL season starts?

Looks like he's signed a 3 year contract with them. 9/19/24.

Rookiekontrakt klart för Jack Berglund

Han har ännu inte spelat de stipulerade 100 minuterna i SHL. Jack Berglund har ändå idag belönats med ett rookieavtal.<br />– Det har han tjänat ihop till med sitt spel och det arbetet han har lagt ner, säger sportdirektör Rickard Wallin.

www.farjestadbk.se

 

[Appleyard]

Speaking of J20...

the kid leading the scoring right now is eligible to play for Britain aha.

But probably never will.

 

[Appleyard]

This is confusing, looking at the SHL club (EP) 2024-25 stats:
Berglund 4g 1-2 3 - Championship series
But no games in SHL season so far. He's not listed on their roster, but only 12 forwards.

Are they just stashing him in JR until the SHL season starts?

Looks like he's signed a 3 year contract with them. 9/19/24.

Rookiekontrakt klart för Jack Berglund

Han har ännu inte spelat de stipulerade 100 minuterna i SHL. Jack Berglund har ändå idag belönats med ett rookieavtal.<br />– Det har han tjänat ihop till med sitt spel och det arbetet han har lagt ner, säger sportdirektör Rickard Wallin.

www.farjestadbk.se

SHL season has started. They played today and he did not dress... understandably as Farjestad are quite deep.

ex-Flyers prospect Marcus Westfält is their 4C and he is entering his 3rd full SHL season where he has played at 3rd line level, flanked by Emil Alba (27 year old long-time pro) and Henrik Bjorklund (long-time 33 year old vet).

A lot of teams play kids in the CHL as they dont care about it for the most part...

 

[deadhead]

Bergland has now played 5 of 9 for the J20 team, with 10 points in 5 games. Has also played 3 of 4 SHL games with one assist. 3 year contract gives him time to work on his skating, offensive skills and add strength before coming over in 2027-28.

Ciernak is healthy with 3 goals in 3 games in Allsvenskan, a little older at 19 but missed a lot of time to injury.

Moline is off to a good start in the USHL, 3 points in 4 games.
But Ruohonen only has 1 point in 3 USHL games.

 

[blackjackmulligan]

Bergland has now played 5 of 9 for the J20 team, with 10 points in 5 games. Has also played 3 of 4 SHL games with one assist. 3 year contract gives him time to work on his skating, offensive skills and add strength before coming over in 2027-28.

Ciernak is healthy with 3 goals in 3 games in Allsvenskan, a little older at 19 but missed a lot of time to injury.

Moline is off to a good start in the USHL, 3 points in 4 games.
But Ruohonen only has 1 point in 3 USHL games.

What line will you have him in on 27-28?

Like the Moline pick. Though he was headed to the BCHL. Guess not.

 

[Appleyard]

Bergland has now played 5 of 9 for the J20 team, with 10 points in 5 games. Has also played 3 of 4 SHL games with one assist. 3 year contract gives him time to work on his skating, offensive skills and add strength before coming over in 2027-28.

Ciernak is healthy with 3 goals in 3 games in Allsvenskan, a little older at 19 but missed a lot of time to injury.

Moline is off to a good start in the USHL, 3 points in 4 games.
But Ruohonen only has 1 point in 3 USHL games.

Euros usually take a little while to adapt to the USHL. Level wise it is arguably the best u-20 league one earth (that is what the numbers say) and that plus smaller ice for everyone bar the Russians? Means that so many guys start slow year on year then go on a tear.

The only import who has really stood out in the league so far this season as a new guy is Adam Benak... who if you ignored his size would be a top 15 pick.

I would always say with imports in North America wait until game 15-20 to see where they are at.

 

[deadhead]

Euros usually take a little while to adapt to the USHL. Level wise it is arguably the best u-20 league one earth (that is what the numbers say) and that plus smaller ice for everyone bar the Russians? Means that so many guys start slow year on year then go on a tear.

The only import who has really stood out in the league so far this season as a new guy is Adam Benak... who if you ignored his size would be a top 15 pick.

I would always say with imports in North America wait until game 15-20 to see where they are at.

Yeah, that also holds for players jumping to a higher tier.
Bump as a 20 year old freshman struggled for 8-10 games, then was > ppg rest of the way.

With young players, when they jump a tier, how they finish the season is the key, can they adjust to higher competition?

 

[deadhead]

@Appleyard

Why is Berglund bouncing between J20 and SHL?
He's obviously too good for J20 but not quite SHL ready (has played 4 of 7 games so far).
Why isn't he in Allsvenskan? Are there rules that would prevent that?

 

[Appleyard]

@Appleyard

Why is Berglund bouncing between J20 and SHL?
He's obviously too good for J20 but not quite SHL ready (has played 4 of 7 games so far).
Why isn't he in Allsvenskan? Are there rules that would prevent that?

They can loan him out but no rules prevent it... but he is kind of their ~13th-14th fwd so they probably dont want to for depth purposes especially considering they have CHL games.

 

[deadhead]

Keep an eye on Ciernak, off to a good start, 4 points and 3 goals in first 5 games.
No one else on his team has more than 1 goal.

 

[blackjackmulligan]

Keep an eye on Ciernak, off to a good start, 4 points and 3 goals in first 5 games.
No one else on his team has more than 1 goal.

AHL preseason?

 

[deadhead]

AHL preseason?

Allsvenskan. One step below SHL. A good season there sets him up to start in the SHL next season.

 

[deadhead]

Ciernak now 6g 4-32 6 in Allsvenskan
Ruohonen 6g 3-3 6 in USHL
Berglund 8g 7-5 12 in J20, 4g 1-0 1 in SHL