The Phantoms are heading into the new season with a lot of moving parts, and that kind of roster churn usually creates openings. One of the clearest belongs to Riley Thompson, the forward who arrived late last season as a college free agent and now gets his first real shot to turn a brief AHL cameo into something bigger.
Thompson’s path to this point was a solid one at Ohio State, where he finished his third collegiate season and second with the Buckeyes with 13 goals and 27 points in 37 games. From there, he signed a one-year entry-level deal that begins this season and joined the Phantoms on a tryout contract for the final stretch last spring. It was a leap from college hockey into a playoff push, but he settled in quickly enough to leave a real impression.
That first look wasn’t flashy, but it mattered. Thompson adjusted to the pace of the league in short order, even though foot speed had been one of the concerns in his scouting report.
More importantly, he gave the Phantoms something they badly needed as the season wore on: help down the middle. With centers thinning out, he was asked to handle heavy minutes and absorb a bigger workload than anyone could reasonably expect from a newcomer still learning the league on the fly.
He managed it well and finished with four assists in nine games, building a base of playmaking that the Phantoms will want to see expanded this season.
Now comes the harder part. A strong first impression is one thing; proving it wasn’t a one-off is another.
Thompson is stepping into his first full season with the club, and the competition for ice time is tighter than it was when he first arrived. The opportunity is still there, but the margin for error is much smaller.
The area with the most room to grow is his offense. During that late-season run, he became more comfortable as the games piled up.
He didn’t record a shot on goal in his first two appearances, then fired 13 shots over his final seven games. That’s encouraging progress, but it still leaves him hunting for his first AHL goal.
To get there, he’ll need to keep sharpening his process, whether that means shooting more often or choosing his looks better.
The Phantoms, as a group, also need more consistent scoring, and Thompson will have to be part of that push.
His exact role remains unsettled. The center picture is crowded, with Jacob Gaucher offering a proven and versatile option, while Cole Knuble and Jett Luchanko bring more prospect intrigue. Knuble showed some promise when he shifted back to center late last season, and Luchanko is expected to get plenty of minutes as the organization works to polish and restore his game.
That means Thompson probably has to earn his way above the third line, and he’ll need consistency to do it. The coaching staff is likely to shuffle pieces around early as it searches for the best combinations, so he should get chances. What he does with them will determine how far his role can grow.
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