Phantoms' Wilson Determined To Lead By Example

ALLENTOWN, Pa. - The American Hockey League's (AHL) shortened 2020-21 season in its current COVID-19 pandemic environment - where most teams aren't having any fans in attendance and are doing the best they can to keep operating costs down - hasn't been kind to many of the veteran players who entered the offseason last summer without a contract.

And that doesn't even add into account the influx of younger players from Canadian junior hockey league that in an otherwise normal AHL season wouldn't be eligible to compete in the league due to age restraints and the agremeent in place with the CHL.

"It's definitely a tough time. I saw a list of how many veterans guys that have been [in the league] awhile that would have deals if it were normal circumstances right now," Lehigh Valley Phantoms' team captain Cal O'Reilly said last month. "It's very tough. I was fortunate to be in the middle of a two year deal, but a lot of guys weren't and I feel for them. There a lot of really good hockey players that don't have anything right now."

Up until the weeks leading up to Phantoms' training camp, established veteran forward Garrett Wilson was one of those guys on the outside looking in.

"It was definitely a bit of a humbling time. I didn't really know what was going on, and when the season was actually going to start. It was just a lot of unknown," Garrett Wilson told InsideAHLHockey.com. "And so it was a definitely very stressful - the most stressed I've been in an offseason. When I got the call from [Philadelphia Flyers assistant GM] Brent Flahr and Lehigh I was definitely very excited, and excited to come here."

Wilson tallied 20 points (10 goals, 10 assists) in 51 AHL games with the Toronto Marlies last season, having served as the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins team captain the year prior to that - his third season in the Penguins organization.

A big-bodied, power forward capable of producing offense as well as being a force physically, he's been an asset to every team he's been a part of - spending several seasons in a leadership role with the Penguins and wearing an alternate captain's A with his new team in Lehigh Valley.

"Definitely my last three or four years, I've gained a lot of leadership just being around really great players learning from them," Wilson explained. "Coming in here, it always makes it easier when you have a good group of leadership guys - and we have that here with Cal [O'Reilly], Muells [Chris Mueller] and Spoons [Tyler Wotherspoon]."

"I just try to lead by example, do the right thing try to be a pro and hopefully it rubs off on the younger guys."

So far, Phantoms' head coach Scott Gordon has certainly noticed the positive examples Wilson and the teams' veteran players have been setting.

"It's one thing to have veterans, it's another to have veterans who play the game the right way," Gordon said earlier this month. "The ones that we have that are new have come in and have towed the line. They set a good example for our younger players. A guy like Garrett, he plays hard every practice and every game."

"If things aren't going well, they can settle things down and they have a calmness about them that I think brings stability to our younger players."

For Wilson, he just wants to come in and play a simple, reliable game in all three zones of the ice. He's also the kind of guy that is going to stick up for his teammates.

"Protect our younger guys, protect our skill guys and then just play a hard honest game," Wilson said when asked about his game and what he likes to bring to the table, adding, "I like to play that physical role, and try to keep everyone honest out there. If I have to drop the gloves I will, but I also like playing hockey too - making plays and scoring goals - so I like to bring a little bit of both."

Wilson is certainly capable of setting the tone, which he did in a recent road contest against the Binghamton Devils - dropping the gloves in the opening minute of the hockey game. It's one of only two fighting majors on the season for the Phantoms through the first seven games (Sam Morin dropped the mitts with Hershey's Kale Kessy in the opening game of the season).

He's also capable of scoring goals, averaging nearly a point every other game throughout his AHL career as he enters pro season number 10 - and scoring 17 goals in his last full season of AHL action with the Penguins.

So far, Wilson has settled in nicely on the Phantoms' third line left wing, doing exactly what he said he likes to do in playing a hard and pretty straightforward game while helping the plethora of younger players on the roster - including 18-year-old rookie forward Zayde Wisdom.

"I know when I was 18 coming up to pro hockey was definitely very nerve-racking, but these kids these days are so skilled and good hockey players it makes it easier for us older guys to show them the ropes," Wilson explained.

The balance of the roster has certainly been a component to the team's early success, as they head into March with a 4-1-2 record on the season through seven games - good for third best in the re-aligned North Division.

"I like our team a lot. We have some solid defenders, some offensive defenseman. Up front, we have a lot of skill and young guys that can make plays. So far, we've been buying in to the systems that [the coaching staff] has been showing us," Wilson stated. "We're doing well, got off to a pretty good start. Guys are starting to get the rust off a bit now. The games are starting to come a little more naturally, and I like our start so far so we just ahve to keep it up."