Stevens & Samuelsson signed through 2004-05 season

Published on January 29, 2004 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Adirondack Phantoms News Release


(PHILADELPHIA, Jan. 29, 2004) - The Philadelphia Phantoms of the American Hockey League today announced that the contracts of head coach John Stevens and assistant coach Kjell Samuelsson have been extended through the 2004-05 season. In addition, left wing Craig Berube and defenseman Kirk Furey were both signed to AHL contracts today and Berube was named a player/assistant coach for the remainder of this season, as well as a full-time assistant coach in 2004-05. Per team policy, terms of the deals are not disclosed.

Stevens and Samuelsson, both in their fourth year in their current positions, have guided the Phantoms to a 27-14-4-1 record this season. The team has won nine of its last 10 games and sits in a tie with Bridgeport for most points (59) in the Eastern Conference.

"John and Kjell are continuing to do an excellent job for our organization, their team is well prepared and works hard every night," said Flyers and Phantoms assistant general manager Paul Holmgren. "The progress of our young players who have come up and played for the Flyers like Patrick Sharp, Dennis Seidenberg and Jim Vandermeer, as well as the development of some other young players like Randy Jones, Freddy Meyer, Wade Skolney and Antero Niittymaki to name a few, speaks volumes of the coaches' efforts."

Stevens was the Phantoms' first-ever team captain and helped lead the team to the 1998 Calder Cup title during its second year of existence. After his 15-year playing career ended in the middle of the 1998-99 season due to an eye injury, Stevens took over as an assistant coach before being elevated to head coach on June 8, 2000.

Samuelsson played 14 seasons in the NHL, including nine with the Flyers, before entering the coaching ranks as an assistant with the Trenton Titans of the ECHL in 1999-2000. He was then promoted to assistant coach with the Phantoms on July 8, 2000.

Signed to a player tryout contract on Nov. 18, Berube is in his 18th season of professional hockey. He has four assists and 86 penalty minutes in 23 games as a Phantom and the team is 21-6-2 since he joined the organization. The 38-year-old has played in 1,054 career NHL games with the Flyers, Toronto Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames, Washington Capitals and New York Islanders, compiling 159 points (61G, 98A) and 3,149 penalty minutes, which ranked seventh all-time heading into the 2003-04 season.

"Craig Berube will only add to a strong coaching staff," said Holmgren. "His knowledge of the game, his outstanding work ethic and his professionalism, both on and off the ice, will be invaluable in assisting in the development of our younger players. Craig is getting his feet wet now as a player/assistant coach and this will make the transition into full-time assistant coach next year that much easier."

Furey was signed to a PTO on Nov. 11 and inked a second one on Jan. 17. In 30 games this season, he has 12 points (4G, 8A), 37 PIM and a plus-11 rating, which ties for second best on the team. Furey, who turned 28 on Wednesday, split the 2002-03 season between the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies (ECHL) and the Phantoms. When Philadelphia's season ended, he re-joined the Bullies and helped them capture the Kelly Cup title.

The Phantoms are back in action on Friday at 7:05 p.m., when they host the Hartford Wolf Pack at the Wachovia Spectrum. Philadelphia then entertains the Milwaukee Admirals on Saturday at 3:05 p.m. at the Wachovia Center.

Tickets to all Phantoms home games are $19, $18 and $14 for adults, and $8 for all children 14 and under, and are available now at the Wachovia Center box office and all Ticketmaster locations throughout the Delaware Valley. Tickets can also be charged by phone by calling (215) 336-2000, (856) 338-9000 or (302) 984-2000 or online at www.ticketmaster.com. Contact the Phantoms office at 215-465-4522 or log on to www.phantomshockey.com for information on group discounts, birthday packages and the Family Four Pack.

Comcast-Spectacor (comcast-spectacor.com) is the Philadelphia-based sports and entertainment firm which owns the Philadelphia Flyers, Philadelphia 76ers, Philadelphia Phantoms, the Wachovia Center, the Wachovia Spectrum, Flyers Skate Zone community ice skating and ice hockey facilities, Comcast SportsNet, and three minor-league affiliates of the Baltimore Orioles - the Bowie Baysox, Delmarva Shorebirds and Frederick Keys. Comcast-Spectacor is also the principal owner of Global Spectrum, the public assembly facilities management firm with more than 35 facilities throughout the United States and Canada; Ovations Food Services, a food and beverage services provider; and Patron Solutions, a full-service ticketing and marketing product for public assembly facilities.

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American Hockey League Stories from January 29, 2004


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