Phantoms Pre-Draft Outlook

The Lehigh Valley Phantoms have plenty of key contributors from last season's team penciled in on the AHL roster for next fall - barring a surprise in training camp, or trade etc. Namely, the 2017-18 regular season MVP, forward Phil Varone, the team's leading goal scorer, in forward Greg Carey, and leading scorer on the blue line T.J. Brennan.

The team's first off-season moves have already been made to bolster the roster for the upcoming season. The team's captain, Colin McDonald, will be returning for his fourth season with the Flyers' AHL affiliate. McDonald, as well as Flyers' 2013-7th rounder defenseman David Drake, were signed to one-year AHL contracts the team announced Tuesday afternoon.

There will be quite a few newcomers next fall for the Phantoms - particularly up front - or so it currently appears. Defenseman David Drake, as well as forwards Connor Bunnnaman, David Kase, Pascal Laberge and Carsen Twarynski are all AHL-eligible for the upcoming 2018-19 season and could find themselves on the Phantoms' roster after everything shakes out this off-season and into training camp in the fall.

More on the Phantoms heading into free agency after this weekend's draft, unless of course the Flyers make moves that directly affect the shaping of the Phantoms' roster heading into the fall.

Stay tuned.

Under Contract & AHL-Eligible for 2018-19 Season

Goaltenders (1): Carter Hart

Defensemen (5): T.J. Brennan, David Drake (AHL, year 1 of 1-year deal), James de Haas (AHL, year 2 of 2-year deal), Mark Friedman and Phil Myers

Forwards (14): Nicolas Aube-Kubel, Cole Bardreau, Connor Bunnaman, Greg Carey, Chris Conner (AHL, year 2 of 2-year deal), Radel Fazleev, David Kase, Corban Knight, Pascal Laberge, Colin McDonald (AHL, year 1 of 1-year deal), Carsen Twarynski, Phil Varone, Mike Vecchione and Mikhail Vorobyev

Pending Free Agents

RESTRICTED FREE AGENTS (RFA)

Goaltenders (2): Alex Lyon and Anthony Stolarz

Defensemen (1): Reece Willcox

Forwards (2): Tyrell Goulbourne and Danick Martel

UNRESTRICRED FREE AGENTS (UFA)

Goaltenders (2): John Muse and Dustin Tokarski

Defenseman (1): Will O'Neill

Forwards (0): None

AHL FREE AGENTS (UFA)

Goaltenders (1): Mark Dekanich

Defensemen (3): Frank Hora, Max Lamarche and Nolan Zajac (signed with Oskarshamn in Sweden-2)

Forwards (3): Alex Krushelnyski, Chris McCarthy, Steven Swavely and Matt Willows (retired from pro hockey)