The Lehigh Valley Phantoms entered the 2018-2019 season looking to clinch a playoff berth for the third straight season — a feat that had not been achieved by the franchise since 2002. However, as the injuries and call-ups piled up, they fell three standings points short of accomplishing just that. So, what derailed them?
The easiest thing to point to is the biggest “call-up,” if you will, of the season. That being the coaching change that occurred on December 17th when the Philadelphia Flyers parted ways with then-head coach Dave Hakstol, and Phantoms head coach Scott Gordon got the call to join the Flyers.