Transactions: Cates Returns, Willman Recalled

Phantoms Begin 5-Game Road Swing on Wednesday at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

January 18, 2022

Lehigh Valley, PA – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms have announced that forward Max Willman has been recalled from Lehigh Valley to the Philadelphia Flyers and forward Jackson Cates has been loaned to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms from the Flyers Taxi Squad according to Flyers President of Hockey Operations and General Manager, Chuck Fletcher. Earlier this week, forward Connor Bunnaman was recalled to the Philadelphia Flyers.

Cates, 24, is an undrafted free agent acquisition of the Flyers out of Minnesota-Duluth. He has played in 20 games with the Phantoms this season scoring two goals with four assists. He also has played in seven games with Philadelphia this season which also saw him score his first career NHL goal on December 16 at Montreal. His most recent game with the Phantoms was December 21.

Willman, 26, has eight goals and two assists for 10 points in his 15 games with the Phantoms this season. The Brown University and Boston University product from Barnstable, Mass. has played in 19 games with the Flyers this season scoring two goals with one assist. He scored his first NHL goal on December 10 for the Philadelphia Flyers at Vegas Golden Knights. Willman has played in 69 career games with the Phantoms scoring 19 goals with 15 assists for 34 points.

Bunnaman, 23, has scored four goals with two assists in 26 games with the Phantoms this season and he as also played in five games with the Flyers. The fourth-round selection in 2016 out of the Kitchener Rangers has played in 44 career games with the Flyers recording one goal with two assists. In his AHL career, the Guelph, Ontario native have played in 130 career games with the Phantoms through four seasons scoring 30 goals with 19 assists for 49 points.

The Phantoms open a stretch of five consecutive road games on Wednesday night at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins before heading to Charlotte, NC for a pair of games against the Checkers on Saturday and Sunday. The next home game for the Phantoms is Sunday, January 30 at 5:05 p.m. against the Hershey Bears on Kids Activity Book Night.

Tickets for upcoming Phantoms games available HERE