Phantoms Sign Artem Anisimov; Could Be Insurance for Flyers

Veteran center Artem Anisimov signed an AHL contract with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms for the remainder of the 2022-23 season, the team announced Saturday morning.

He then went out and celebrated Saturday night by collecting two goals and two assists as the Phantoms trounced Charlotte, 6-1.

Anisimov, 34, had previously been on a professional tryout offer (PTO) with the Phantoms and Philadelphia Flyers. With Lehigh Valley, he has five goals and three assists in seven games.

At the Philadelphia Flyers’ training camp, he  suffered a broken bone in his foot blocking a shot in a preseason game Sept. 24.

He could be insurance for the Flyers. Anisimov played for Flyers coach John Tortorella with the New York Rangers from 2009-10 to 2011-12.

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Anisimov, a 6-foot-3, 198-pound Russian, has played with Ian Laperriere’s Phantoms since joining the team Nov. 15.

“I’ve had so much fun, and they offered me the contract here. I’m so happy to be back,” Anisimov said. “I am enjoying the moment, and I enjoy teaching the young guys.  I really like to do that.”

Anisimov’s pedigree includes 771 career NHL games with the New York Rangers, Columbus, Chicago and Ottawa over a 13-year career. He has scored 180 goals with 196 assists for 376 career points. He scored 20 or more goals four times in five seasons between 2013-14 through 2017-18.

“He’s great,” Laperriere said. “I just met the guy in training camp with the Flyers. He’s just a super-nice human being. To have a leader like that around those kids, they are learning a lot from him.”

Anisimov led the way in Saturday’s home rout against the Charlotte Checkers. The Philadelphia Flyers play Sunday night in Arizona.

The Flyers are coming off a 2-1 overtime loss Friday in Vegas against the Golden Knights.