AHL: Phantoms Up and Downie

McKeen's correspondent David Burstyn looks at several Philadelphia Phantoms having successful seasons including Steve Downie, who was recently called up to join the Flyers after serving his 20-game suspension for his hit on Ottawa Senators forward Dean McAmmond in the preseason.

Steve Downie (Phi), RW/C, Philadelphia

Downie was once again in the news this year for the wrong reasons, as he started the year with a 20-game suspension .. poised to make the Flyers, the lapse in judgment cost him an NHL roster spot .. has played a dozen games in the AHL and is averaging a point a game .. healthy offensive skill set, he can stickhandle in close and has quick reaction time to recognize a play and distribute the puck .. was targeted throughout the game and sustained some heavy blows but played through it and remarkably did not let his anger get the best of him with costly infractions .. appears to have touched up on his skating in terms of overall speed .. he skates faster in a straight line but is still guilty of not moving his feet .. he played a methodical game and seemed to only expend energy when he had too .. his skating to a degree holds him back when the play shifts but adjusting to the pro game and learning to pick his spots better will help to alleviate that concern shortly, as he is too smart not to get it .. unable to use his shot or control the half boards as he did in junior, he compensated by going to the net and trying to create in front .. showed improved confidence with the puck and was not afraid to be creative .. AHL experience should serve Downie well in terms of maturity, as riding the bus with older peers could be the type of seasoning Downie needs .. at time of print, he was called up but had yet to dress for a game.

Kyle Greentree (Phi), LW, Philadelphia

Former BCHL 'Brett Hull Trophy' winner (Top Scorer) joined the Phantoms last season on a tryout basis .. has exploded this season playing on the second line with Matsumoto and Reid logging close to a point a game through his first 20 .. rangy, yet surprisingly agile forward who moves ok due to a long, thick stride .. not an explosive skater but his stride is so vast that he swallows up ice .. goes to the net with authority and uses his size and quickness to finish off rebounds in front but also to create .. he has a mean streak, which serves him well to open up ice for not only him but for his teammates as well .. he has been a proven scorer at every level - most recently leading his Alaska-Fairbanks team (CCHA) three-consecutive seasons before making the jump to the AHL .. he has been a welcome addition and fits the Flyers profile perfectly in terms of skill and toughness.

Jonathan Matsumoto (Phi), C, Philadelphia

Matsumoto led his Bowling Green team in scoring three-consecutive seasons while becoming just the third freshman in Bowling Green to lead his team in scoring in his rookie campaign .. an ultra-fast and athletic forward who plays with an edge .. he skates quickly and is extremely effective in traffic, as he has a compact, yet sturdy frame that absorbs hits well and allows him to take abuse before he springs on a puck .. he is clever in terms of his positioning and not only locates open holes but escapes coverage to get into better position .. he is shifty when he enters the zone .. he moves very fast, which backs-off defenders .. he can be too predictable at times even though he hides his actions, as he tends to look for the open man too much and neglected to shoot in prime-scoring areas .. continues to shine in his second season and gives the Phantoms depth at centre and a potential fourth line injury call-up for the Flyers in the future.

Jared Ross (Phi), C, Philadelphia

An accomplished scorer with over two years of AHL experience playing with Chicago, Ross has elevated his game to monumental heights, as he is given a chance to play prime-time minutes on both the first line and top PP unit .. smaller pivot who excels in open ice where he can make moves unscathed .. his vision is very mature, as is his patience with the puck .. he finds his teammates despite heavy coverage and works wonderfully on the PP .. he opens up considerable ice because he stickhandles so close to his body that he goads defensemen to make a move and then dishes off the puck crisply if they do .. his speed also allows him to play on the PK where he is able to force defenseman into making mistakes at the point .. not much of a physical player, his size eliminates this aspect from his game, as he also shies away from traffic and down-low puck pursuits.

Stefan Ruzicka (Phi), RW, Philadelphia

Saw some time with the parent club last season to supplement scoring due to a complete scoring void up front.. this year, with the new additions to the Flyers, Ruzicka failed to make the team out of training camp but still remains a key component of their future due to his ability to score .. talented winger whose hands are soft and offensive instincts are sharp .. his downfall lies in his overall consistency and fondness for taking poor and unnecessary penalties .. still has some lazy habits that he will need to work on .. his skating takes on a stealth-like approach, as he has a quick change of pace and darts into open areas to retrieve pucks .. he attempts to be physical on his way to the net but still lacks the requisite strength to be a physically dominating player despite his efforts .. good overall skill set but will need to work on being more of a game breaker and play to his ability.

Alexandre Picard (Phi), D, Philadelphia

Slowly emerging as an option for the parent club, as he is putting it all together in his second AHL season after getting a taste last season .. highly skilled offensive point man controls the play with poise and confidence at the line .. plays an alert and aware game and uses his size to shield the puck and make strong heads-up plays .. he uses his lateral movement well to orchestrate offensive chances .. defensively, he still plays with some carelessness and does not always make smart plays .. he can be beaten by playing the puck and not the man .. has to be more focused in all facets of the game and AHL grooming and key minutes should help prepare him for that.

Ryan Parent (Phi), D, Philadelphia

Massive rearguard joins the Phantoms fulltime after a highly decorated Junior resume, which included two WJC gold medals .. joined the Phantoms last season after Guelph's opening round loss and even saw his first NHL game against the New Jersey Devils .. mobile and athletic defenseman who plays a defensive game .. often sees icetime against opposition's best players and did an admirable job shutting down last year's Calder Cup Champion Hamilton Bulldog skaters .. uses his size and reach to chip pucks off the boards and out of the zone .. his reverse movement is slick, as he can pivot and change directions smoothly .. he uses his long wingspan and always employs his stick to defend .. he can be slightly aggressive inside the box, chasing forwards while losing positioning but it did not result in any scoring chances or goals .. his foot speed is good but needs slight improvement .. he needs to be more aggressive in front, as too often he allows a player to set-up shop in his crease .. his puck skills are still maturing, as he needs to make quicker decisions and improve on his overall dexterity when moving the puck .. Flyer's management has little doubt that he is NHL material (potential top-four) however, there is no sense rushing him and until his puck skills get close to NHL standards, he will continue to develop at the AHL level.

For more on the Phantoms, McKeen's correspondent Gus Katsaros also gives his opinion from a recent viewing in an article entitled Phantoms Menace.