Family ties, Phantoms' Gendron determination | TheAHL.com

by Connor Lawrence | AHL On The Beat

It was a night in November when a simple question was asked of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms forward Alexis Gendron.

“When did you know you wanted to play professional hockey?”

“I just knew,” the 20-year-old Philadelphia Flyers speedster explained with a laugh, while addressing a group of young hockey players.

Talking about his career, Gendron reflected on his experience growing up in the sport and one of the people he credits for preparing him the most: his father. As the son of Martin Gendron – a current Quebec-based amateur scout for the Flyers and a former AHL All-Star – Alexis saw his passion for the game sparked from a young age.

“I always looked up to him as a hockey player and as a father, of course,” Alexis said. “He played the game the way I play. He was an attacking player – a small forward, too. He showed me how to shoot the puck when I was young, always telling me to shoot hard.”

Now in his first full professional season with the Phantoms, Gendron still vividly remembers the many hours he spent perfecting his shots with his father by his side.

“He played a big role in my career, for sure,” Gendron said.

Raised in Côteau-du-Lac, Quebec, but born in Switzerland while Martin was playing overseas, Alexis first fell in love with hockey as he watched his father, hoping to one day follow in his footsteps.

When he reached minor hockey at the age of 16, he began to believe that his professional career was within reach.

“I didn't expect to make the team,” Gendron recalled in his first year with Blainville-Boisbriand in the QMJHL. “It was a surprise, but it made me realize that it is possible. I had to keep working. Two years after that, I was drafted by the Flyers.”

After accumulating 60 points in his first two junior seasons, the hard work finally paid off on July 8, 2022, when Philadelphia selected him in the seventh round of the NHL Draft in Montreal – just an hour from his hometown.

The timing was perfect, as it also meant that he would be reunited with his childhood hero, now working in the same organization – his father.

But the journey to the professional game last year wasn't exactly straightforward for the younger Gendron, who faced — and overcame — his fair share of obstacles on the way to securing a solid roster spot in the Lehigh Valley.

After making his professional debut with the Phantoms early last season, recording seven points in 17 games, Gendron quickly found himself bouncing back and forth from the roster and returning to the QMJHL for his final year of eligibility in January. A month after joining Drummondville, he faced yet another setback as he suffered a broken ankle that would keep him out for most of the season.

Despite the injury, Gendron returned to the lineup early in the playoffs, recording a hat trick in Game 1 of the finals series to help lead his team to the league championship and a berth in the Memorial Cup.

“It's been a crazy, roller-coaster of a year,” Gendron admitted. “The beginning of the year [in Lehigh Valley] and not playing much, I was able to play juniors. It was a great year to have the opportunity to go to the Memorial Cup and learn a lot.”

Now back in the Lehigh Valley, Gendron has embraced the challenges that come with maturing and adapting to the professional game.

“As I got younger, I really needed to work on my defensive side,” he said. “I think it's getting better. I'm just trying to be the best 200m runner I can be, and right now it's going in the right direction.”

Offensively, he used his speed and lethal shooting to his advantage during the first half of the season, showing off his scoring abilities on numerous occasions.

“He knows how to coach, he wants to learn and he wants to get better,” said the Phantoms coach Ian Laperriere. “He's improving a lot. He's a scorer and he wants to score every night.”

Gendron found inspiration from his teammates, especially his Quebec teammate and veteran forward Anthony Richard – the player whose style he wishes to imitate on the ice.

“When I was younger, one of my coaches told me to look up Anthony Richard on the Internet because we are similar players,” Gendron said. “So now playing with him, it's kind of a funny story that I'm trying to learn from him. He is a mature player. He can also slide, and he can play offense and defense. I'm trying to learn from him to become that player.”

Off the ice, Gendron emphasized the importance of giving back to local young players who aspire to one day reach the same level.

“It's always nice to connect with the kids,” he said. “When I was at their age, I watched the top and junior players. It's always fun.”

As Gendron continues to develop his game with Lehigh Valley and work his way up to the NHL with the Flyers, his determination, determination and confidence remain undeterred by the adversity he has faced thus far in his thriving career.

“Right now, it's a dream to play at a high level, but it's just the beginning.”