Transactions: Ābols, Andrae, Gaucher Loaned to Lehigh Valley

Phantoms Receive Reinforcements as Flyers Enter Break

February 8, 2025

Allentown, PA – The Philadelphia Flyers have loaned defenseman Emil Andrae and forwards Rodrigo Ābols and Jacob Gaucher to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Ābols, 29, was recalled to Philadelphia on January 20 and played in nine games with the Flyers scoring his first career NHL goal last Sunday, February 2 at Colorado. The Lativa product who made his NHL debut had initially had decided to return to North America after playing four seasons in Sweden and has thrived in his opportunity to see if he was indeed good enough to play in the NHL. Abols has scored 9-10-19 with the Phantoms in 34 games. (Photo Lenny Redkoles – Getty Images).

This is just his second pro season in North America and his first since playing for Springfield in the AHL and Greenville in the ECHL in 2019-20. Since 2017-18, he’s played 266 games in Sweden, 70 games in the AHL and 4 games in the ECHL before finally making it to the top league in the world.

“It’s not your ordinary debut when you have your wife and 3-year-old in the stands cheering you on for the solo lap,” Ābols said about celebrating his first career NHL game at such an advanced age. “Hopefully, I can inspire someone.”

Andrae, 22, has played in 15 games with the Phantoms this season scoring 2-7-9. He has also played in 24 games with Philadelphia in the NHL scoring 1-5-6. Andrae is in his second full professional season in North America after a solid rookie campaign with Lehigh Valley in which he produced 5-27-32 in 61 games played. He played in 10 games with the Phantoms at the end of the 2022-23 season and on his AHL career with Lehigh Valley has produced 9-29-38 in 91 games. The 5’9″ left-handed shooter from Vastervik, Sweden was a second-round selection (#54) of the Flyers in the 2020 NHL Draft.

Gaucher, 23, made his NHL debut with the Flyers at Colorado on Sunday, February 2 and played in three games with Philadelphia on his first-ever NHL recall. He recently returned to the Phantoms for just one game vs. Cleveland on Friday before returning to the Flyers for Saturday’s game against Pittsburgh. Gaucher’s busy week saw him play five games in seven days between the Flyers and Phantoms combined.

He is in his third year of professional hockey and his second season with the Phantoms. Gaucher leads the Phantoms with 14 goals and also has 13 assists for 27 points in 45 games played leading to an NHL contract on December 12 after initially beginning the season on an AHL deal. In two seasons with the Phantoms, Gaucher has played in 104 games scoring 22-21-43.

Gaucher became the fourth Phantoms player to make his NHL debut with the Flyers this season joining Aleksei Kolosov, Helge Grans and Rodrigo Abols.

The Lehigh Valley Phantoms are back in action next Friday night at the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and then return to PPL Center for home games on Saturday, February 15 against the Syracuse Crunch featuring Bucket Hats from Capita Blue and then Sunday, February 16 at 3:05 p.m. in a rematch against the Penguins on meLvin’s Birthday with his mascot friends.

UPCOMING

Friday, February 14 (7:05) – Phantoms at W-B/Scranton Penguins

Saturday, February 15 (7:05) – Syracuse Crunch at Phantoms – Bucket Hats from Capital Blue. Margaritaville Night. Live Music “Jimmy and the Parrots”

Sunday, February 16 (3:05) – W-B/Scranton Penguins at Phantoms – meLVin’s Birthday with his mascot friends!

 

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