J-R Avon Enters Second Pro Season With 'A Chip On My Shoulder'

It almost goes without saying that first year players making the jump from junior hockey to the pros experience an adjustment period.

Often times, players go from being 'the guy' in juniors - a heavily relied upon player in all-situations, power play, penalty kill, late-game - to having to earn their ice time in the AHL, playing a limited role with limited ice time.

It was no different for forward Jon-Randall Avon last year with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Avon grabbed the attention of the Philadelphia Flyers organization three years ago as a development camp invite in the summer of 2021, impressing in rookie camp and training camp that year as a bit of an unknown because he was one of many who didn't get to play any hockey in 2020-21 due to the COVID-19 pandemic canceling the entire OHL season that year.

"I kind of had no, like, expectations of what was going to happen," Avon told InsideAHLHockey.com during training camp. "I didn't play hockey for a year and I just kind of came here and was like, I just want to have a good time, just a good experience, and just try my hardest."

That determination to make up for a lost year without hockey saw Avon thoroughly impress the Flyers brass to the point they signed him to an a three-year entry-level contract before sending him back to Peterborough (OHL) to continue his development.

After two good years in the OHL with Peterborough, where he compiled 128 points (58 goals, 70 assists) in 123 games, he turned pro last year with the Phantoms in the AHL - getting off to a decent start offensively as a pro with seven goals and three assists in his first 21 games, including three power play tallies.

"I think I just had the most confidence for that year at the start," Avon explained of his opening few months of 2023-24.

The return of forwards Rhett Gardner and Olle Lycksell in December, combined with the arrival of forward Bobby Brink in January, saw Avon's role and ice time diminished, with his power play time reduced to a near non-existent level.

"It was an adjustment for J-R. He still had couple good chances down the stretch last year, but it was his first year pro, Phantoms head coach Ian Laperriere said of Avon's rookie season last year, explaining, "For him, like, he does have a great shot. He's great in the shootout too, but there's another 100 feet of the game that he needs to be better at, you know, to recover that puck quicker. And use that speed to his advantage."

Going from a 30-goal guy in junior to being in a bottom-six role was certainly a hit to Avon's confidence, and an adjustment he needed to make mid-season after a promising start to the year. After scoring 10 points (seven goals, three assists) in his first 21 games, Avon finished the year with eight points (two goals, six assists) in his final 45 appearances.

"[It was] super frustrating, like you said, like I've always seen myself as a guy that can go out there and get the big [goal] when we needed it," Avon said of his struggles as the season wore on last year. "So, you know, it definitely took a toll on the confidence, and the mental game was huge."

All in all, Avon's rookie season was a learning experience not unlike what many first year pros go through transitioning to pro hockey. He entered the off-season with a better understanding of how things work at the AHL level, the work he needs to put in to get better and the determination to make a bigger impact entering his second year this fall.

"There's a lot of areas to work on. I think it was definitely a different game with the older guys, the bigger 6-foot-8 29-year-olds that are on defense," Avon explained of going from facing kids in junior to men at the pro level. "But I took a lot from it, just protecting the puck I want to work on that and just my overall game. I want to work on my shot and try and get more goals this year, and get more points."

Laperriere told InsideAHLHockey.com he's already noticed an improvement in Avon during NHL training camp in Voorhees, New Jersey in September.

"I feel like he did the work just looking at him during camp," Laperriere said of Avon. "I feel he's learned a lot from last year, and he's going to be a better player this year."

Avon admitted to InsideAHLHockey.com that he's entering 2024-25 with a chip on his shoulder. It's been evidenced by his strong play in both NHL and AHL preseason contests leading into the start of the AHL's regular season this upcoming weekend.

"Definitely a little chip on my shoulder, just to show that, you know,  I want to be here. I want to play here. So that little chip on my shoulder has been a big thing for me right now."