June 12, 2012

From Calder to Stanley. The first ever Stanley Cup for the Los Angeles Kings was not the first championship celebration for some former Phantoms stars. Jeff Carter, Mike Richards as well as coach John Stevens were all together in 2005 when the Philadelphia Phantoms won the Calder Cup. And now, seven years later, they are reunited to win Lord Stanley's championship award in the NHL.

Kings Assistant Coach John Stevens was a 2012 inductee into the American Hockey League Hall of Fame. The former defenseman actually won two Calder Cups with the Phantoms. As a player with Philadelphia in 1998 -- and as the head coach of the team in 2005. Stevens had previously won two Calder Cups before that as a player in 1988 with the Hershey Bears and in 1991 with the Springfield Indians.

Stevens' two young guns on his 2005 Phantoms club were a couple of 20-year-old highly touted prospects who joined the team late from their Major Juniors squads. Jeff Carter led the entire AHL in goals (12) and points (23) during the 2005 playoffs, while Mike Richards chipped in with 15 points in 14 games.

Jeff Carter joined the Philadelphia Phantoms in the last week off the regular season after completing his Major Juniors season in Sault Ste. Marie, Ontario. The Flyers' first round pick (11th overall) in 2003 had finished a fantastic season with the Greyhounds where he lit it up for 34 goals and 74 points in 55 games.

He quickly showed that his scoring prowess would translate to the professional level with his great run in the playoffs that culminated in a championship sweep of the Chicago Wolves in the Final.

This season, he was a late pickup of Los Angeles from Columbus and came just in the nick of time to help the Kings qualify as the eighth seed. Without Carter arriving to help boost the stagnant offense, Los Angeles might not have even made the playoffs in the first place.

Carter scored two goals against New Jersey in the Stanley Cup championship clincher on June 11 and led the way for the team with eight goals in their 20 post-season games (tied with Dustin Brown and Anze Kopitar).

Mike Richards came to the Phantoms even later than Carter. His Major Juniors team, the Kitchener Rangers, made a longer run in the OHL playoffs. So by the time he made it to the Phantoms the team had already started their championship run. He played in 14 playoff games in 2005 scoring seven goals and 15 points.

This season with Los Angeles he was vital as well with four goals and 11 assists in the post-season plus 18 goals and 24 helpers in the regular season.

Congrats to the former Phantoms who join a long list of AHL standouts to win both the Calder and Stanley Cups in their careers.

Check out the pics below of Carter and Richards celebrating with the Stanley Cup. And compare with the 2005 picks with the Calder Cup.