Return of the Captain

Garrett Wilson Re-Signs with Phantoms

July 22, 2026

Allentown, PA – The Captain is back with the Phantoms! The Lehigh Valley Phantoms have re-signed Garrett Wilson for the 2026-27 season. Last season’s Masterton Award nominee with the Philadelphia Flyers is entering his record seventh season with Lehigh Valley. Wilson is the longest-tenured player in team history, having played in 341 games with the Orange and Black.

Wilson, 35, has served as captain of the Phantoms for three seasons and he rates fourth all-time in Lehigh Valley history with 148 points and also fourth with 63 goals. Additionally, he has racked up 789 penalty minutes, the most of any player in Lehigh Valley history.

Last season was an especially memorable one for the rugged winger and Phantoms’ leader as he joined the Philadelphia Flyers late in the season and played in his first NHL game in almost seven years. The Philadelphia chapter of the Professional Hockey Writers Association (PHWA) recognized him as its 2025-26 Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy nominee, given to the NHL player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey.

Wilson made his NHL return on March 19, 2026 against the Los Angeles Kings, marking his first NHL appearance since the 2019 Stanley Cup Playoffs as a member of the Pittsburgh Penguins. After the playoffs in 2019, it was 2,529 days before his surprising return to the NHL. He played in three games with the Flyers.

The 6-foot-3, 218-pound forward was originally selected by the Florida Panthers in the fourth round of the 2009 NHL Draft. Over a 15-year professional career spanning the NHL, AHL, and ECHL, Wilson has appeared in 87 NHL games with the Florida Panthers (2013–16), Pittsburgh Penguins (2018–19), and Flyers (2026), scoring two goals with six assists for eight points while also appearing in 10 career Stanley Cup Playoff games, scoring one goal with one assist.

Wilson has spent the bulk of his career in the American Hockey League, playing for the San Antonio Rampage (2011–15), Portland Pirates (2015–16), Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (2016–19), Toronto Marlies (2019–20), and Lehigh Valley Phantoms (2020–26).

In his 754 AHL games, 59th most in league history, Wilson has scored 156 goals with 197 assists for 353 points while accumulating 1,375 penalty minutes. He led the AHL in penalty minutes in back-to-back seasons in 2022-23 with 195 PIM and in 2023-24 with 216 PIM. Wilson has recorded three career hat tricks, including two with the Phantoms in the 2022-23 season. For his pro career, Wilson has played 939 games and has scored 194 goals with 231 assists for 425 points with 1,575 penalty minutes.

He has received endless accolades and compliments from coaches, teammates, and management for his leadership, professionalism, and the example he sets for the organization’s young prospects.

Hockey returns to PPL Center in September with the fifth annual Flyers vs. Rangers Rookie Series. The two-game series takes place on Saturday, September 12 at 7:05 p.m. and Sunday, September 13 at 5:05 p.m. Tickets are available now at PPLCenter.com.

Opening Night for the Lehigh Valley Phantoms is Saturday, October 3 against the Hartford Wolf Pack.

AWAY

Apr

Sun 1:00 PM