Bunnaman’s offensive prowess is no longer the Phantoms’ biggest secret
ALLENTOWN, PA -- Every season, there are always a few players in the American Hockey League (AHL) that seemingly come out of nowhere to have big seasons. That was certainly the case for Lehigh Valley Phantoms’ forward Connor Bunnaman last season.
Going into his first professional hockey season, Bunnaman was expected to fight for a bottom six role. The former Kitchener Ranger bounced in and out of the Phantoms lineup for the first two months of the season, but when the injury bug ran rampant in the team’s locker room the rookie stepped up big-time.
Beginning on December 9, Bunnman went on to play 20 of the team’s next 21 games. From there, the rookie began to blossom right in front of his teammates. The Guelph, Ontario, native began the 21 game stretch by scoring four goals in the first five games and eight points in the first nine.
During that time, Bunnaman found himself moving up the Phantoms’ lineup and playing on a line with the team’s leading goal scorer Greg Carey and fellow prospect Nicolas Aube-Kubel, both at even strength and on the power play.
“He’s gaining confidence, he’s making plays and he’s big,” Carey said after a mid-December Phantoms game. “He’s a great player and he has a good future ahead of him.”
Later during that stretch, Bunnaman also recorded a streak of four straight games with a goal. All in all, the 20-year-old accumulated 10 goals and five assists in that 21-game run before suffering a minor injury that kept him out of the lineup for four games. Upon his return Bunnaman never came out of the lineup.
Bunnaman finished third on the Phantoms in goals (19) and seventh in points (32) in his 62 game campaign. The center also ended the season in a five-way tie for seventh among rookie goal scorers. Bunnaman’s offensive outburst -- and consistency -- not only surprised the team and their fans, but also surprised himself.
“I did not expect to score [32] points,” Bunnaman said on exit day. “19 goals exceeded all my expectations.”
Going into the 2019-20 season, there will be much higher expectations for Bunnaman and his development. He will be one of the few holdovers on a completely revamped roster and will be depended on as the others learn coach Scott Gordon’s system.
Bunnaman focused on getting faster and leaner this offseason, while also working on his all-around game.
“Speed is a big thing,” Bunnaman said. “Of course, me being a bigger guy, I have to speed up around these smaller quick guys.”
It won’t be an easy task to recreate the numbers he produced in ‘18-19, but everybody -- the Philadelphia Flyers organization, his teammates, the AHL and himself -- know he is capable.
He is no longer the Phantoms’ secret weapon; the secret’s out.
