Isaac Ratcliffe Recalled for First Time, Three Players Return From Flyers
January 26, 2022
Lehigh Valley, PA – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms and Philadelphia Flyers have announced that forward Isaac Ratcliffe has been recalled to the Flyers Taxi Squad from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Additionally, forwards Jackson Cates and Linus Sandin as well as goalie Felix Sandstrom have all been loaned to the Phantoms from the Flyers. The Phantoms have also announced that forward Nick Lappin has been signed to an AHL standard player contract. Lappin was previously on a PTO (professional try out) contract with the Phantoms.
Ratcliffe, 22, is receiving a recall to the Flyers for the first time in his career. The Flyers’ Round 2 (#35 overall) selection in 2017 out of the Guelph Storm of the OHL has scored four goals with six assists in 31 games with the Phantoms this season. The 6’6″ winger has played in 108 games with the Phantoms over three seasons amassing 13 goals with 21 assists for 34 points.
Cates, 24, is an undrafted product of the University of Minn-Duluth and is in his first full year of pro hockey. He has scored 2-4-6 with the Phantoms this season in 21 games while also scoring one goal in nine games with the Flyers this year.
Sandin, 25, signed with the Flyers last year as a free agent. The Uppsala, Sweden product is coming off his NHL debut on Tuesday night for the Philadelphia Flyers at the New York Islanders. Sandin has scored 5-2-7 in 13 games with the Phantoms with all five of his goals coming in his last seven games. He missed two months from October 17 through December 16 with a fractured orbital bone injury after taking a shot to the face in the second game of the season.
Sandstrom, 25, has gone 4-9-3, 3.02, .897 with the Phantoms this season and also made his NHL debut with the Flyers on December 30 with 43 saves in a 3-2 overtime loss at San Jose. The Round 3 pick of the Flyers in 2015 from Gavle, Sweden is in his third full professional season in North America and has gone 10-12-6, 3.05, .902 in his AHL career with the Phantoms.
Lappin, 29, signed a profesionall try out contract with the Phantoms on November 23, 2021. The undrafted winger out of Brown University has played in 13 games with Lehigh Valley scoring one goal with one assist. Lappin has played in 234 career games in the AHL scoring 74 goals while also having played in 60 NHL games with the New Jersey Devils where he has scored five goals with three assists on his career.
The Phantoms return to action on Friday night at the Springfield Thunderbirds.
The next home game for the Phantoms is this Sunday at 5:05 p.m. against the Hershey Bears on meLVin Kids Activity Book Night.
