Phantoms Send 3 Players to Reading Royals

October 23, 2019 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Lehigh Valley Phantoms News Release

Lehigh Valley, Pa. - The Lehigh Valley Phantoms, proud AHL affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers, have announced today that they have loaned defenseman James de Haas and forward Gerry Fitzgerald to the Reading Royals of the ECHL. In addition, the Flyers have reassigned forward Matthew Strome from Lehigh Valley to Reading.

De Haas, 25, has appeared in one game for the Phantoms this season after appearing in a career-high 48 games during the 2018-19 season. He notched one goal and nine assists, as well as 22 penalty minutes last season.

A native of Mississauga, Ontario, de Haas has played 85 career games for the Phantoms totaling 21 points on two goals and 19 assists. He has also played 23 games for the Reading Royals, tallying 5 goals and 13 assists for 18 points. De Haas was originally drafted in the sixth round of the 2012 NHL draft by the Detroit Red Wings but elected to attend college and spent four seasons at Clarkson University before signing with the Phantoms in 2017.

Fitzgerald, 26 has played one game for the Phantoms this season after signing an AHL contract on July 1, 2019. Fitzgerald spent the last season with the Iowa Wild, and posted 12 goals and seven assists for 19 points in 67 games during the 2018-19 season.

A native of Port Alberni, British Columbia, Fitzgerald has played 84 total AHL games, 83 of them with the Iowa Wild, including 16 at the end of the 2017-18 season when he turned pro after finishing four seasons at Bemidji State University.

Strome, 20, has appeared in two games for Lehigh Valley this season after playing six games at the end of the 2018-19 season. Strome made his pro debut for Lehigh Valley on April 2, 2019 and notched his first pro point with an assist on April 9 against Hershey.

A native of Mississauga, Ontario, Strome was drafted in the fourth round (#106 overall) of the 2017 NHL Draft by the Philadelphia Flyers. He spent the last four seasons playing in the Ontario Hockey League for the Hamilton Bulldogs. Strome finished with 260 games played for Hamilton where he amassed 247 points on 115 goals and 132 assists. In 2017-18, Strome helped lead the Bulldogs to an OHL Championship, putting up 18 points in 20 playoff games. The 6-foot-4 forward was named the captain of Hamilton for 2018-19 campaign and set a career high in points with 79 points in 68 games.

Lehigh Valley Phantoms defenseman James de Haas

Lehigh Valley Phantoms forward Matthew Strome

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