With the Flyers season beginning last night, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and the rest of the AHL will be beginning training camp any-day now.
Just as predicted, Flyers general manager Chuck Fletcher announced Thursday afternoon that defenseman Linus Hogberg and forwards David Kase and Maksim Sushko will begin the season in Allentown after playing overseas while being loaned by Philadelphia.
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms roster is beginning to take shape. With the assignment of all three prospects that now puts the AHL squad’s roster number at 23. Two goalies, thirteen forwards, and eight defensemen make up the team’s roster.
Now the big question is what do all three bring to head coach Scott Gordon‘s baby Flyers?
David Kase
David Kase is entering his third season with the Philadelphia Flyers. Out of all of the players assigned to the AHL, I believe he has the best to make this Flyers Taxi Squad as an extra body or even better yet have a chance for top nine minutes on the 3rd or 4th line for AV’s team. It seems like the 13th forward spot to start the season will be a revolving door with Morgan Frost scratched in the opening night for the Flyers Wednesday but time will tell.
23 year old, Kadan, Czech Republic, Kase started the season on loan by the Flyers playing for HC Energie Karlovy Vary where he lead the team in points with 25 by and in assists with 19. He finished his campaign tied with five others on the team with six goals netted.
Beginning his North America junior season, Kase is assigned for the third time to the Phantoms club. In 2 years, 91 games played he has 15 goals, 27 assists under Gordon in the AHL. He made his NHL debut last season and even got to play his brother Ondrej (Kase) who plays for Anaheim. In 6 games before he was sent back down to Allentown, David scored his only point which happened to be his first professional goal against his brother’s team the Ducks.
The goal was assisted by one of his line-mates Morgan Frost. For all the games Kase played, his line partners were Joel Farabee and Morgan Frost. One hell of a Flyers future top six group. Pretty cool that his parents flew all the way from Kadan to see their sons battle it out at the Wells Fargo Center. My line prediction to start the year for #72: Kase-Foerster-Allison
Maksim Sushko
Out of all the players on the Lehigh Valley Phantoms this season i’m most excited to see how much the KHL made the 21, Belarus native quickly grow for the North American game. When Sushko was first loaned by Fletcher to the Dinamo Minsk way back on July 17th of 2020, I was like, alright they are treating this guy like he’s legit. A 4th round draft pick selected #107 by Philadelphia in the 2017 draft should be.
Especially with his resume: three medals with Belarus in the WJC (2 gold, 1 silver) plus a Top 3 player on the team in 2017-18. His resume should speak to himself that he should be treated with “legit-ness”. Entering his sophomore season with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms he will be an absolute stud. 30 games with Dinamo Minsk for the 21 year old. Gem. Alert.
He played along side some pretty good teammates and linemates during his time in the KHL. He was centered with former lifetime Boston Bruins product Ryan Spooner and 22 year old New Jersey Devils prospect Yegor Sharangovich. To his right was winger Artyom Demkov 31, who spent time all over the country with the likes of six seasons with Minsk, ECHL with the Elmira Jackals and some AHL time with 22 games in Albany, NY with the Devils in their last season before they moved to Binghamton.
A lot of his point totals came on the power-play with former Calgary Flames prospect Stepan Falkovsky who played quarterback on the man advantage. After being drafted by Calgary, Falkovsky began his career with the Adirondack Thunder (ECHL) before headed to the Ontario Reign before wrapping up his North America tour with two different ECHL clubs, Allen and Manchester. Sushko adds 53 games in the AHL for a total of 21 points. (11 G, 10 A) before beginning his second season. I personally believe we will see Sushko in the NHL this season.
My line prediction to start the year for #15: Strome-Wisdom-Sushko.
Linus Hogberg
Entering his first professional hockey season for the 6’1 175 pounder, it was a no brainer here assigning him to the AHL after his assignment loan with the HC Vita Hasten was over. The Phantoms certainly need help on the blue line and boy, oh boy do they get it here with the 22 year old, “Super Swede” two way defenseman.
He had 12 points (2G, 10 A) with HockeyAllsvenskan. He comes in still on his entry level deal at $815,000. He was a fifth round, 139th overall draft pick of 2016 by the Flyers. Philadelphia’s management took their sweet time with his kid’s development before sending him over to the North American game which I hope doesn’t affect his game by any means. It always scares me when a prospect is overseas for long periods of time but it’s the Flyers. They have a pretty good track record at grooming prospects.
So the question is what are you getting with Hogberg? Well, he’s expected to work his way up the pipeline from Lehigh Valley. He’s a two-way Swedish blue-liner who can put up points, but is earmarked for a defensive role. The kid has been playing against men since 2015-2016 with Växjö Lakers HC up until this past year.
I’ve got a feeling that a fairly impressive year statistically after recording 25 points in 39 games in his second season with Vaxjo had a lot to do with his placement back in July. Although style of play may not translate to the NHL immediately and Linus plays far from a physical style, playing a headier game and proving to be a more offensive minded defender. Hogberg skates quite well, is able to evade attackers then jump up to make a quick tape to tape pass. Compare him to a Kris Russell playing style? Remember him?
My line prediction to start the year for #6: Wyatte Wyile & Linus Hogberg.
You can meet the newest member of the LV Phantoms below: