Lehigh Valley Phantoms' Biggest Free Agency Need?

ALLENTOWN, PA -  While the Philadelphia Flyers have been busy re-tooling the NHL roster, when free agency begins on Wednesday they'll have some holes they'll need to fill with regards to their AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley Phantoms' roster.

Especially on the back end, which sees unrestricted free agents Chris Bigras, Derrick Pouliot, Nate Prosser and Tyler Wotherspoon all unsigned heading into the free agent frenzy.

One such name that has come up that Inside AHL Hockey learned to keep an eye on this week is veteran defenseman Taylor Fedun.

On the surface, the 33-year-old appears to be a prototypical two-way defender that can fill in on the NHL blueline in a pinch (127 career NHL games) but is also a capable all-situations veteran that can be leaned on heavily at the AHL level.

Here's what resident Texas Stars expert Stephen Meserve of 100 Degree Hockey had to say about Fedun:

"Taylor Fedun is a little more than the standard AAAA guy. He can definitely stick in the NHL for extended periods, but it has to be in the right situations," Meserve told  In the AHL, he is an all-situations defenseman. Quarterback a power play, stout PK minutes, leadership."

This past season, Fedun was limited to just two AHL games while spending most of the 2020-21 season on the Dallas Stars' taxi squad.

"It says a lot about his value that Dallas hesitated to put him on waivers," Meserve said.

One source told Inside AHL Hockey that had Dallas not re-signed the defenseman this past season, that the Flyers were ready to swoop in and sign him. With the Phantoms clearly in need of some experience and leadership on the blue line again this season, it will certainly be interesting to see if Philadelphia resumes their interest from a year ago.

Another thing worth mentioning is that Taylor's wife, Katie, and her family are native to the Allentown, Pa. area where the Lehigh Valley Phantoms call home. In an article for The Athletic last summer, Katie Fedun explained the hardships of having a then-newborn son Bowen and living with her parents in Pennsylvania while her husband was in the NHL postseason bubble in western Canada.

Perhaps the need for some experience on the back end combined with the close proximity of extended family for their now 1-year-old son will be a good fit for both the Feduns and the Flyers/Phantoms.

Phantoms Free Agents From 2020-21

Unrestricted Free Agents (UFA): goaltenders Alex Lyon, Eamon McAdam and Zane McIntyre, defensemen Chris Bigras, Nate Prosser, Derrick Pouliot and Tyler Wotherspoon and forwards Andy Andreoff, Ralph Cuddemi, Ryan Fitzgerald and Chris Mueller,

Restricted Free Agents (RFA): Forwards Connor Bunnaman (received qualifying offer) and David Kase (received qualifying offer, but signed two-year contract Sparta Praha in Czech)

Current projected roster for 2021-22

Goalies (3): Samuel Ersson, Felix Sandstrom and Kirill Ustimenko

Defensemen (5): Logan Day (AHL contract), Linus Hogberg, Mason Millman, Wyatte Wylie and Egor Zamula

Forwards (12): Connor Bunnaman (RFA), Jackson Cates, Olle Lycksell, Cal O'Reilly (AHL contract) Isaac Ratcliffe, German Rubtsov, Linus Sandin, Brennan Saulnier (AHL contract), Maksim Sushko, Matthew Strome, Max Willman and Garrett Wilson (AHL contract)