AHL: Diminutive Meyer Impresses

Freddy Meyer isn't the biggest guy around, but he certainly didn't let his size get in the way of putting on a great show for Phantoms fans in the Calder Cup. Observers also got a two-game peak at former third rounder Alexandre Picard, while the grades have come in for Randy Jones and Ben Eager too as our look at the AHL Finals continues with the four Phantoms players.

Alexandre Picard (Phi), D: C

Recently signed to an ATO from the Halifax Mooseheads, he immediately stepped in and played in games 2 and 3 .. despite being an offensive defenseman in the Q, he was very safe and played a steady role .. nothing fancy, nothing special - just a steady game .. used his skating to keep up with the Wolves .. showed impressive one-on-one play and maintained good positioning throughout the series .. has a rocket shot but wasn't able to utilize it and never used his skating to really move the puck up, which was expected .. needs another two years of AHL seasoning before he will be ready for the NHL.

Randy Jones (Phi), D: C+

Put in a steady series despite being limited to only games one and four because of the signing of Alexandre Picard .. calm and collected with the puck .. didn't rush any situations or hurt his team with a boneheaded mistake or turnover .. effortless skater .. didn't effectively create much offense, despite decent hands .. uses his skills more to emerge as a person who can move the puck out of the zone .. smart positioning and good at digesting the play .. solid in his own zone .. not a physical defenseman and could add bulk as to prevent being out-muscled .. isn't a competitive kid and get outworked .. would have an NHL future if he stepped up the tempo of his game, specifically the physical side .. had an assist in game four to go along with a +2 night to cap off a solid series ..

Ben Eager (Phi), LW: C

Not what you would expect out of a former first round pick, but he still plays a role every team needs .. used his 6'2, 215 frame to emerge as an effective checking forward .. blessed with excellent speed for his size .. solid first step turns him into a powerful skater capable of winning foot races .. hands are solid and he is good at

maintaining possession of the puck and driving the net, but that's where his offense stops .. despite a hard shot, he never really uses it well and it's inaccurate .. works hard and comes back to help out defensively .. instincts and awareness are a wash and he appears to be seriously lacking in the mental aspect of the game .. takes too long to digest what's happening on the ice and seems to lack anticipatory skills .. gave the Phantoms a physical presence and opened up the ice for his teammates .. should find a third or fourth line role in the NHL some day based on his work ethic, size, and skating .. overall he's too slow with his awareness to ever put up numbers, even at this level .. finished with 19 PIM's in four games, 17 of those coming in game four.

Freddy Meyer (Phi), D: A-

Free agent signing who lacks size and is questioned to ever make it to the NHL, but after this playoff performance some team might take a chance on him .. standing at only 5'10, 190, his stature really stands out .. size doesn't seem to hurt him though .. combative for such a little guy .. he'll fly into corners knowing that he'll get hit hard, but then give it right back to the other player .. battles in front of the net and can simply be a pest .. stronger than advertised and showed the ability to move people from in front of the net .. makes up for his size by being crafty .. great awareness .. seems to be one step ahead of the other players .. skating is a huge asset, with one of the best first steps in the league .. shows offensive upside, mostly at moving the puck and creating plays .. can't say enough about how tough he battles in traffic .. heart and soul guy .. still can get out-muscled, especially when confined to one-on-one plays .. Overall his skating, work ethic and awareness might be enough for him to play in the NHL despite his slight frame .. one heck of a playoff performance.