Phantoms (PHI) Acquire LW Johnson From Ontario (LAK)
Lehigh Valley Phantoms
ALENNTOWN, Pa. - While Philadelphia Flyers fans await to see how many moves the NHL club will make prior to next month's trade deadline, assistant GM Brent Flahr executed an AHL level trade with the Los Angeles Kings.
InsideAHLHockey.com learned Thursday morning the Lehigh Valley Phantoms acquired forward Adam Johnson from the Ontario Reign in exchange for future considerations.
Johnson, 27, recorded a goal and five assists in 28 games with Ontario this season after joining the team in 2019-20 following his first three years of pro hockey spent with the Pittsburgh Penguins organization.
Phantoms fans may remember Johnson from his time with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
He recorded 30+ points in all three of his seasons with the Penguins, tallying career highs in goals (18), assists (25) and points (43) points in 67 games with the Pens during the 2018-19 season. Johnson also brings 13 career NHL games of experience to the Phantoms' locker room.
The winger skates extremely well and uses his speed to his advantage when he's at his best, though it seemed like he was on the wrong end of a numbers game in Ontario this season - playing a limited role on a team carrying sometimes as many as five extra forwards on their roster.
Phantoms current assistant coach Riley Armstrong knows Johnson as the two were in the Penguins organization together when Johnson turned pro - Armstrong an assistant coach with the Pens' ECHL affiliate Wheeling Nailers from 2016-18 - so there's at least some familiarity there.
Frost, Sushko recalled to Flyers; Sandin (upper body) to miss 3-4 weeks
The acquisition of the speedy winger comes on the heels of the Phantoms losing three forwards from their roster. If nothing else, Johnson will definitely get a regular shift and plenty of ice time with the Phantoms this weekend.
Morgan Frost and Maksim Sushko joined the Flyers earlier this week, while Flahr updated Linus Sandin's timeline from his upper body injury - telling Philly Hockey Now's Sam Carchidi Sandin will miss three to four weeks.
The Phantoms are back in action Saturday night against the Utica Comets (7:15 pm ET puck drop) before facing off against the Springfield Thunderbirds Sunday afternoon at 3:15 p.m. ET.
