Phantoms ride Wisdom’s shorthanded spark to playoff victory

Things haven’t been easy for Zayde Wisdom. But he’s used to that. Growing up in poverty, his mother was forced to work multiple jobs just so he could play hockey.

The 2020 E.J. McGuire Award for Excellence recipient has overcome that and more to make his dreams come true. Signing him to an entry-level contract four months after being drafted showed just how invested the Flyers were.

Wisdom debuted in the AHL a few months later due to junior leagues shutting down after COVID. He performed better than expected. He had seven goals and 18 points in 28 games. A shoulder injury and summer surgery would delay him, and he would eventually be sent back to juniors.

Returning to the AHL, Wisdom was unable to find his game the next two seasons and found himself in the ECHL on numerous occasions. And after another slow start this season, it was easy to question whether or not Wisdom had a future in the organization.

Zayde Wisdom plays key role in win over Hershey

Wisdom made a promise (subscription required) to Phantoms' head coach Ian Laperriere that he was going to stick around in Lehigh this season. After being scratched to start the season and other struggles, something clicked in the second half. He was one of the team’s most consistent players, giving them energy and playing hard.

He brought that same energy to the playoffs as the Phantoms are in a second-round battle with the Hershey Bears. Wisdom’s fingerprints were all over the latest game as he didn’t just record his first career playoff goal. He scored twice, both goals coming shorthanded.

"He's a kid who came to our camp and told me this summer, 'I'll come to your camp, make your team, and you won't be able to take me out.' A lot of guys are telling me that, but not too many guys walk the walk, and he's been walking the walk. He's one of our leaders in that room," Laperriere said in a postgame interview after the win.

The Bears' power play has had 10 opportunities in their two games thus far, clicking at just a 10 percent pace. They've been outscored 2-1 thanks to Wisdom. They came into the playoffs with a 17.7 power play percentage in the regular season. They had allowed eight shorthanded goals all year. The Phantoms were second in the Atlantic with 12 shorthanded goals, operating at over 80 percent on the penalty kill.

It was only the second game of the series, so it wasn't seen as a must-win for the Phantoms. But tying up the series after two games means they will head home on even terms. The next two games will be even more important for the Phantoms as they could take down the back-to-back Calder Cup champions.

If they're able to get this kind of play from Wisdom, they will be in good shape. He will be a restricted free agent this summer. The trajectory of his game since being drafted has been a wild one. But so was the journey to get here, and Wisdom hasn’t given up yet.

Wisdom's play later in the season should earn him another contract and another chance. His game has the makings of an effective bottom-six forward at the NHL level. If Wisdom can prove that his second-half resurgence is the player that he is, he can earn the NHL recall.