Wednesday's Practice Update 2/24

Wednesday morning practice at PPL Center. 

As the Lehigh Valley Phantoms await another three-game weekend - which begins Friday at home against Hartford - the team took to the ice at PPL Center for practice this morning with some new faces.

Forward Dalton Smith, who the Phantoms signed to a PTO on Monday, was one of five forwards wearing a white jersey in practice Wednesday skating on a rotated fourth line with Jay Rosehill, Tyrell Goulbourne, Joe Rehkamp and Pavel Padakin.

"It was something I had always dreamed of as a kid was playing for this organization. I was really happy that everything worked out where I was able to sign here. It's kind of like a dream come true," Smith said of being a part of the Flyers organization.

Dalton's father Derrick, and uncle Keith Primeau both played for the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1980's and 1990's, respectively.

Smith sounds like a solid addition to the bottom-six forward group and head coach Scott Gordon noted that he adds size and strength with his 6-2, 215 pound frame that is certainly needed on the Phantoms forward core that possesses a lot of speed and quickness with smaller guys like Chris Conner, Danick Martel, Kevin Goumas and Rehkamp.

"I just try to work hard, play physical, stick up for teammates, get in front of the net and those dirty areas and be hard to play against," Smith said of his style of play and what he likes to bring to the rink.

Updates on Kevin Sundher, Colin McDonald, Michael Parks and more after the jump.



Practice Notes

Kevin Sundher (lower body since 11/27) skated with the team for the second time this week. While he joked after practice he's ready to go on Friday, Sundher said he is getting close and is making progress which is an encouraging sign for a possible return sometime next week.

Colin McDonald (upper body) was a full participant in practice and said afterward that he's feeling better. Dating back to last weekend, he was expecting to return for this weekend's three-game set so it looks to be a wait and see situation.

Joe Rehkamp has already played 33 games, so his original PTO expired a few weeks ago. I confirmed with Rehkamp that he had been added to another PTO contract, rather than a standard player contract, which will run out after he accumulates 50 games played.

A lot have been asking about the status of Michael Parks, who left the Phantoms' third game of the season with an upper body injury and has not returned since. After talking with those close to the situation, Parks was rehabbing his injury and hopeful to return to the lineup before being told after he had started skating that it would be best for him to have surgery and shut it down.

It's all but expected that Parks will miss the remainder of the season, which is unfortunate for a first year pro on an AHL contract - he never really got it going and hasn't been able to show what he's capable of at this level.


Lines from Wednesday's Practice:

Petr Straka - Cole Bardreau - Colin McDonald
Taylor Leier - Phil DeSimone - Chris Conner
Danick Martel - Kevin Goumas - Aaron Palushaj
Tyrell Goulbourne - Joe Rehkamp - Pavel Padakin
Dalton Smith - Kevin Sundher - Jay Rosehill

Sam Morin - Mark Alt
Davis Drewiske - Max Lamarche
Christian Marti - Robert Hagg
Adam Comrie

Anthony Stolarz - Jason LaBarbera