Flyers Farm Report: 3 Stars of the Week

The Flyers' affiliate in the American Hockey League, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (9-8-2) are coming off a split in a weekend set of back-to-back games at the Bojangles Coliseum against the Charlotte Checkers (12-6-3). Ian Laperriere's team captured a 3-2 regulation victory last Friday before Charlotte captured the return match the next evening, 6-4.

The Phantoms will pay a visit to the Hartford Wolf Pack (5-9-5) on Wednesday evening. Subsequently, the Phantoms will face another back-to-back set against Charlotte with the scene shifting this time to the PPL Center in Allentown.
In recent years, with the exception of Morgan Frost during his AHL stints, the Phantoms' offense has often been primarily reliant on veteran American Hockey League players to carry the heaviest burdens. That is no longer the case. The 2022-23 Phantoms leaderboard is dominated by young, developing players.
Through 19 games, sniper prospect Tyson Foerster leads the Phantoms in scoring with 14 points (68, 8a). He's followed by Olle Lycksell's 12 points in 13 games played (4g, 8a), defenseman Cam York's 12 points )3g. 9a) in 19 games, rookie center Elliot Desnoyers' 11 points (team-high nine goals, two assists) and rookie defenseman Ronnie Attard's 11 points (4g, 7a). Additionally, in 14 games with the Phantoms, Jackson Cates has posted nine points (4g, 5a). In goal, Samuel Ersson has posted a 6-6-1 record, 2.69 goals against average, and a .915 save percentage in 13 games played.
At the ECHL level, the Reading Royals (11-5-6) are carrying a four-game winning streak. The team has a busy slate of upcoming games as they host the Allen Americans (5-11-1) at Santander Arena on Wednesday evening, Friday evening and Sunday evening.
Among Royals players affiliated with the Flyers via NHL contract or the Phantoms via AHL contract, 21-year-old defenseman Mason Millman (2g, 8a in 17 games), Phantoms-affiliated forward Charlie Gerard (3g, 7a in 10 games) and defenseman Colin Felix (3g, 5a, 50 PIM in 17 games) are the leading scorers. Twenty-one-year old goalie Nolan Maier, who recently won his AHL debut with the Phantoms, is 6-2-1 with Reading as he's posted a 2.28 GAA and .910 save percentage to date.
With December upon us, the various national hockey federations have begun to send out invitations to players for World Junior Championship roster selection camps. To date, two Flyers prospects have received evaluation camp invites: 2022 first-round pick Cutter Gauthier (8g, 4a in 12 NCAA games for Boston College) from USA Hockey and Prince George Cougars defenseman Ethan Samson (6g, 12a in 22 Western Hockey League games) from Hockey Canada.
The Finnish national hockey federation has not yet announced its WJC selection camp roster. Flyers 2021 second-round pick Samu Tuomaala is a candidate for a roster spot.
Tuomaala struggled early this season at the Liiga (top domestic professional circuit) level with Jukerit Mikkeli, playing sparingly and ineffectively. However, since he's been loaned to Mestis (Finnish minor league level) team Ketterä Imatra, the speedy winger has started to regain his offensive timing and confidence with seven goals and eight points through his first five games. He's also played in five international tournament games this fall (1g, 3a) with the Finnish national under-20 team.
Without any further ado, here are our picks for the Flyers' farm system's three stars of the week for the week of Nov. 27 to Dec. 3, 2021.
1st Star: Cutter Gauthier (C/LW, Boston College, NCAA)
Gauthier is averaging an even point per game through his first dozen games at the collegiate hockey league. Just as importantly, he is making progress in his transition from being primarily a winger in the US National Team Development Program to being primarily a center. The Flyers' long-range organizational aim is to see Gauthier play center at the NHL level.
On Nov. 29, Gauthier posted a goal and an assist in the Eagles' 4-2 win over Brown. Gauthier posted three shots on goal including a one-timer high glove side from the right wing. Earlier, he fed Andrea Gasseau for the game's first goal.
This past Saturday, on Dec. 3, Boston College won via shootout against 10th-ranked Providence, Gauthier scored the lone regulation goal for the Eagles in a 2-1 shootout loss (officially a 1-1 tie), giving BC a 1-0 lead on a power play goal. On the play, Eamon Powell teed up a pass to Gauthier in the right circle, and Gauthier hammered home a one-timer to the short side against goalie Philip Svedeback. Note: The teams rematched on Sunday with BC winning 3-2 via shootout (2-2 tie officially). Gauthier did not get on the scoresheet in this game.
2nd Star: Emil Andrae (D, HV71 Jönköping, SHL)
The 20-year-old defenseman continues to outshine his struggling SHL club. HV71 is in 12th place in the 14-team league and is the third-lowest scoring team in the circuit. Nevertheless, Andrae has consistently demonstrated his ability to trigger the rush, join the play up ice, make plays and get shots on net. In his own end of the ice, despite his lack of size, Andrae competes hard and displays a quick defensive stick.
Through 23 games played, Andrae is tied for second in scoring on his team with 14 points (3g, 11a). Over his last three games, Andrae has collected five points. This includes a four-assist outburst in a home victory against Rögle BK Ängelhom on Dec. 3. Logging 20:04 of ice time, Andrae collected four even-strength helpers and was not out on the ice for any opposition goals in his team's 6-2 victory.
3rd star: Alexei Kolosov (G, Dinamo Minsk, KHL)
The gifted young goalie, who is in third season in Russia's top league despite his tender age (he turns 21 on Jan. 4) , has been a workhorse for his Belarus-based KHL club. Kolosov has played in 28 games to date, posting a 10-12-4 record, 2.39 goals against average and .918 save percentage.
Some context: Dinamo Minsk is far from a powerhouse team. The club is in seventh place in the Western Conference. On Nov. 28, Kolosov held Dynamo Moscow (5th place in the West) to two goals on 20 shots in a 6-2 victory. On Nov. 30, Kolosov stopped 47 of 48 shots fired on his net in regulation and overtime but got only one goal of support in an eventual 2-1 (1-0) shootout loss to sixth-place Spartak, On Dec. 2, Dinamo edged out HC Sochi (last place in the West) by a 2-1 score behind Kolosov's 26 saves on 27 shots.
As with players throughout the KHL, the timeline for Kolosov's availability to come to North America is nebulous. The Flyers selected the highly regarded netminding prospect in the third round (78th overall) of 2021 NHL Entry Draft. Due to the lack of a player transfer agreement between the NHL and the Russian Hockey Federation -- as well as the current political climate and Russia's ongoing war in Ukraine -- every situation is on a case-by-case basis. There is no expiration timetable on the NHL rights of players drafted from the KHL. It's a question of availability, not a ticking clock on NHL signing rights.