After a rookie year that started with a bang and finished well short of the finish line, Devin Kaplan enters this season with something a little more valuable than hype: a clearer sense of what it takes to stick. The Phantoms winger flashed real upside last year, but the next step is less about the highlight reel and more about doing it night after night.
Kaplan’s debut was about as loud as a first impression gets. He scored twice in his season opener, came inches from a hat trick, and made his presence felt in every part of the game.
The offense popped immediately, but so did the energy. He was assertive without the puck and helped power a convincing win, which made the early momentum feel real.
The problem was keeping that pace alive. Kaplan never completely disappeared, and he continued to get chances while trying to bring a physical edge, but the scoring dried up.
He went nine games before finding the net again, then waited 22 more before his next goal, which was his fourth of five on the season. There were stretches where he just blended into the background, and that inconsistency became the story of his year.
Part of that was role-related. He spent a fair amount of time on the fourth line, which naturally limited the scoring totals, but he also had enough time higher in the lineup to show more than he did.
The flashes were there. The sustained push was not.
His season ended in late February when he suffered an upper-body injury that required surgery. That kept him out for the rest of the year, though he was a full participant in this summer’s Development Camp, so there doesn’t appear to be any question about his health heading into the new season.
What the Phantoms want now is simple enough: show the injury is behind him, keep the physical game intact, and avoid any hesitation when he’s throwing his body around. Beyond that, the real target is consistency.
Kaplan has the ingredients to become a useful middle-of-the-lineup power forward at this level, but the challenge has always been putting those pieces together. The tools are obvious.
The trick is making them show up every night.
For now, the expectation is that he’ll again spend most of his time on the right side of the third or fourth line, with the occasional look higher in the lineup. He also mixed in some press-box nights last season, and with a crowded forward group, some rotation is still likely.
But with more experience under his belt, Kaplan has a chance to make his case for more trust. The more he can sharpen his role and bring a steadier game, the harder it becomes to take him out of the lineup.
In Other News...
Flyers Are Sending A Strong Early Message With David Jiricek
David Jiricek arrives in Philadelphia at a time when the Flyers are trying to make a few messages land at once. He is in the first season of a two-year contract and is expected to be part of the opening night roster, giving the club a young defenseman with real upside as it continues sorting out its long-term identity. Around him, the organization is also looking ahead on a different front, with the Flyers and 76ers announcing plans for a new arena on the historic Spectrum grounds in South Philadelphia, set for the 2030 season.
For now, though, the immediate focus is on what Jiricek can bring on the ice and how quickly he can settle into a role that fits. The Flyers are clearly betting on his skill set, and that makes his early days with the team worth watching closely as camp unfolds. Another name worth tracking is Cole Knuble, who joined the AHL Phantoms late last season and has emerged as a training-camp player to watch after a strong college run. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Just Unveiled A New Arena That Will Stir Strong Feelings
The Flyers have offered the first real look at the arena they hope will define their next era in South Philadelphia, releasing initial sketches and some early details for a building slated to open around 2030. It is meant to be a shared home for the Flyers, the 76ers and a future WNBA franchise, with the broader goal of giving the city a modern venue for sports and live entertainment.
What makes the project especially resonant is where it is headed and what it is trying to evoke. The plan calls for the new building to rise on the site of the original Spectrum, with a design meant to nod to that old landmark rather than simply replace it, a move sure to stir memories for longtime Philadelphia fans as the team moves closer to a venue it wants ready for the next wave of basketball and hockey in the city. [Read more 🡒]
Flyers Just Unveiled A New Arena Vision Tied To Franchise History
The first exterior looks are out for the new South Philadelphia arena that the Flyers and 76ers are planning, and the project is being pitched as much more than a building. The privately funded venue is designed to bring the teams together with Philadelphias WNBA club, while also leaning into the citys sports past with design touches inspired by the old Spectrum.
There is still plenty to sort out before it becomes real, including the name fans will eventually be using. Comcast will hold the naming rights, and the broader pitch from team officials is a big one for the region, with the arena expected to generate nearly $6 billion in economic activity and create about 15,000 jobs over the next decade. [Read more 🡒]