| Want to know what your favorite
Phantoms players and prospects are up to this off-season?
We recently talked to Ben Holmstrom and asked him
a few questions.
How are you staying busy during the off-season?
Right now [I'm in Philadelphia with a few other
Flyers prospects and] we’re working out, we’ve
started skating a bit here and stuff. We’re
just kind of killing time, living with four guys…
we’ve got the Rock Band going right now, and
we find stuff to keep ourselves busy.
What was your most memorable moment from
last season with the Phantoms?
Well, I was only there for 13 games, but I think
when I scored my first goal was a highlight in that
short little time period. It was nice to get on
the board. The first win we got while was there
was at Hershey, and that was a really fun game to
play in. I think we came from behind, I can’t
really remember, but that was the first one we got
when I was around and that was exciting.
What did you think of your first Prospect
Camp with the Flyers?
It was really good. I wasn’t really sure what
to expect coming in. I heard a lot of different
reviews from guys and stuff like that it was actually
a lot of fun. It was hard work but it was good to
get around with some of the younger guys. We got
to learn a lot and got to play a good amount. It
was a good experience and I was glad to be a part
of it.
What is your focus going into Flyers training
camp?
Right now, it’s just to be in the best shape
and at the top of my game as quickly as possible
going into camp. I want to go in and try to make
an impression, show them that I think I can play
at the next level. Just do whatever it takes, fill
whatever role I can and see how far I can take it.
What do you think will be key to the Phantoms’
success this year?
It’s hard to say. I wasn’t around that
long last year to really see what the pros and cons
were, but you’ve just got to come to work
every day. I think consistency is going to be huge,
especially for me coming off a college season playing
35 games, you’re going into a season now where
you play 80 games. You have to be consistent on
a daily basis and be ready to go.
How do you summarize YOUR season, personally,
last year?
For me, there’s a lot of ups and downs. Going
into the season back at school we had some pretty
high expectations, started out hot but cooled down
in the middle of the season, and obviously fell
short of what we wanted to accomplish. That was
a bit of a downer but the day after the season was
over I was lucky enough to sign with the Flyers,
and that’s been my goal since I started playing
hockey to see if I could play professionally. So
that was from one low to a pretty high high. I got
a little bit of a taste of it to build off of…
obviously there’s going to be a lot more to
learn. Overall it was a good experience.
What did you improve most in your game
last season?
I think the biggest thing for me was as I got older,
just confidence and playmaking… that I have
the ability to make some plays out there, get around
the net and score some goals.
What is your favorite Glens Falls hangout?
The Queensbury Hotel. (laughs) No, I was there for
a short time period, so I didn’t venture too
far from there. I’m looking forward to seeing
a lot more of it.
What do you think of the off-season acquisitions
the Flyers have made, and how do you think that
will affect the Phantoms?
For me as a young guy, it’s pretty interesting
to watch. It’s a whole new world for me. When
you’re growing up and in school you see guys
sign, but being close to it, you see a lot more
that goes into it and how it affects the organization
overall. It’s been fun to watch, and it’s
definitely interesting and been a lot to learn.
What are the things you personally want
to improve upon for this season?
I think just being comfortable in a game and playing
with confidence is going to be the biggest factor.
I’m not a super flashy player, but I think
I do enough things well that if I play with confidence,
I should be able to make an impact.
How do you think the addition of Assistant
Coach Riley Cote will affect the team’s success?
I haven’t gotten to know him real well yet.
He’s been around a lot when I’ve been
there and I’ve just talked to him quick once
or twice, but all I’ve heard is just how good
of a guy he is and that he’s going to make
a positive impact. From what I’ve heard, he’s
going to be a real good guy to have around.
What AHL team(s) do you most look forward
to playing against this season?
Hershey was fun, I think a lot of those teams in
your division you see a lot so it’ll be fun
again to develop some real heated rivalries and
stuff like that. That always makes the games a lot
more interesting and more intense, and for me that’s
what makes it fun.
Stay tuned as we check in with more players that
are expected to wear a Phantoms or Flyers uniform
in the upcoming season. If you have questions for
a Phantoms player that you'd like answered, please
send them to the Phantoms via Facebook
or Twitter.
Adirondack Phantoms ticket packages are on sale
now and great seats are still available. The Phantoms
offer a variety of ticket packages – including
3-packs, 6-packs, 12 and 22 select plans, full season
plans and Flex Packs - and are available now in
person at the Phantoms office inside the Glens Falls
Civic Center or by calling 518-480-3355.
###
|
