The Lehigh Valley Phantoms are a professional ice hockey team based in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The team competes in the American Hockey League (AHL) and serves as the primary development team for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League.
The Phantoms have been the top minor league affiliate for the Flyers since the 1996–97 season, playing in Philadelphia as the Philadelphia Phantoms from 1996 until 2009, then in Glens Falls, New York as the Adirondack Phantoms from 2010 until 2013, and in Allentown as the Lehigh Valley Phantoms since 2014.
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms play their home games at PPL Center, an 8,500 capacity, $282 million indoor arena that opened in downtown Allentown on September 10, 2014.
History
In March 2011, plans were announced for a new arena, the PPL Center, in downtown Allentown, Pennsylvania. Demolition at the arena site began in January 2012. In February 2012, it was announced that the Adirondack Phantoms, a franchise that originated as the Philadelphia Phantoms, would relocate to the PPL Center in Allentown from Glens Falls, New York. The franchise originally intended to begin play in Allentown in 2013, but due to litigation over the construction of PPL Center, the team did not play until the 2014–15 AHL season. The purple color used since the team's inception was replaced by electric blue when the team relocated to the Lehigh Valley.
The arena has been consistently full. During the 2015–16 season, the PPL Center was filled at a 97.9% capacity on average, and had 24 sellouts in the 38 Phantoms home games, including the last 13. The Phantoms finished seventh in the AHL attendance rankings with an average of 8,244 fans, surpassed only by teams with larger venues.
Mascot
On August 13, 2014, the Phantoms introduced their new mascot "meLVin". meLVin wears the number 55, which is LV in Roman numerals. The LV refers to Lehigh Valley. He became the Phantoms' third mascot after "Phlex" (Philadelphia Phantoms) and "Dax" (Adirondack Phantoms).
Season-by-season results
Records as of April 23, 2023.
Current roster
Updated October 28, 2023.
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Team captains
Colin McDonald, 2015–19
Cal O'Reilly, 2020–23
Garrett Wilson, 2023–
Team records
As of the 2022–23 season
Single season
Goals: Greg Carey, 31 (2017–18) Assists: Phil Varone, 47 (2017–18) Points: Phil Varone, 70 (2017–18) Penalty minutes: Jay Rosehill, 219 (2014–15) GAA: Jean-Francois Berube, 2.56 (2019–20) SV%: Rob Zepp, .917 (2014–15) Wins: Alex Lyon (2016–17), 27 Shutouts: Dustin Tokarski (2017–18), 5
Goaltending records need a minimum 25 games played by the goaltender
Career
Career goals: Greg Carey, 103
Career assists: Chris Conner, 128
Career points: Chris Conner, 199
Career penalty minutes: Garrett Wilson, 338
Career goaltending wins: Alex Lyon, 75
Career shutouts: Alex Lyon, 6
Career games: Greg Carey, 277
Individual awards
Les Cunningham Award (AHL Most Valuable Player) Phil Varone 2017–18