Flyers prospect Ronnie Attard playing his ‘best hockey’ as the Phantoms push for the playoffs

Ronnie Attard owes New York Islanders enforcer Ross Johnston a six-pack or a bottle of whatever Johnston likes to drink if you ask Attard’s dad Tom.

“He did you a favor,” Tom Attard told his son. “And you didn’t get your [expletive] kicked too bad. … Torts loved it.”

That “favor” was the 6-foot-5, 235-pound Johnston punching Attard’s face in during a preseason game on Oct. 4. While Attard walked away with some bruising to his face, he earned major respect with new coach John Tortorella.

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Tortorella said the fight earned the rookie defenseman an extended look during training camp. Ultimately, Attard was assigned to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, but he had made an impression on Tortorella, who says he doesn’t remember most players from training camp because there were “too many bodies.”

Attard, who turns 24 next week, has continued to make a strong impression within the organization. In his first full professional season, he was named an AHL All-Star. Attard leads all Phantoms defensemen in goals (10), points (27), and plus-minus rating (plus-10)

With the Flyers struggling and the Phantoms headed for the playoffs, it remains to be seen whether Attard will be called up over the Flyers’ final 15 games. Regardless, he is viewed as one of the organization’s top defensive prospects, and figures to challenge for an NHL roster spot to start next season.

Growing up in White Lake, Mich. as the son of a hockey coach, Attard learned to skate as he learned to walk. That time is seared into the memories of his family.

“I absolutely hated it,” Attard said. “My feet were always cold.”

His parents, Tom and Sue, would have to get him off the ice, take off his skates, blow on his feet to warm them up, lace his skates back up, and send him back out there

A late bloomer, Attard learned to beat the odds off the ice as much as he did on it. At five and seven years older, his sisters Julia and Jessica always tilted the rules of their games against their younger brother .

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“He was always it,” Jessica said.

Attard’s growth spurt hit between eighth and ninth grade. That’s when his sisters decided they didn’t want to play anymore — “game over,” Julia said. That’s also what helped him get noticed and drafted by the Nebraska-based Tri-City Storm of the USHL.

Between an early illness and then injuries, Attard’s enthusiasm for hockey wavered initially. The ever-smiling kid actually wondered if he should pack it up and head home. His father, whose hockey career ended before it could ever begin because of a shoulder injury, gave his son a piece of advice.

“Son, there are people who are dying to be in your spot, where you’re at,” Tom said. “Stick it out and it will all work out.”

When Anthony Noreen was named head coach of the Tri-City Storm in 2017-18, the “word” on Attard was that he was a bubble guy. Immediately, Noreen saw Attard could be much more. There was high-end potential combined with a desire to grow.

Just as important to Noreen, who was trying to establish a new culture, Attard was the type of guy who makes it fun to come to the rink.

After two unspectacular seasons to begin his junior career, and a summer training at his future school, Western Michigan, Attard made what Noreen thinks was probably the best decision of his hockey career. He returned for a third year of junior instead of going to college following his senior year of high school.

The defenseman was still undrafted and was determined to make a splash. He did that and more, posting what Noreen described as “probably the best individual season anyone’s ever had in our league.”

Attard set USHL records for goals (30), points (64), and plus-minus rating (plus-46) by a defenseman that year. He also set the foundation for Tri-City’s culture.

“When we talk to our team now about the pride in the organization, what our jersey means, what the Tri-City Storm means to us, and what the identity is ... we don’t ever say or bring those things up without Ronnie Attard’s name coming up,” Noreen said. “He’s synonymous with everything that we’ve done here.”

Following his monster season, the Flyers drafted Attard, who was committed to Western Michigan, in the third round (No. 72 overall) in 2019. The Broncos were going through a coaching change, and Pat Ferschweiler, who was taking over, had heard that Attard was an “offensive dynamo” but wasn’t great defensively.

Like Noreen, Ferschweiler elected to form his own opinions. He “fine-tuned” Attard’s game, working on his stick skills, compete level, and decision-making, but the greatness was already there he said.

After a breakout sophomore campaign, Attard once again had a big decision to make — go to the NHL or stay another year in college?

“Ronnie was mature enough to understand, ‘I’ll go there when I’m ready for true success,’” Ferschweiler said.

His patience paid off once again, as Attard returned to WMU, leading the Broncos to the NCAA Tournament, and ranking in the top five in goals (13) and points (36) among college defensemen. There was no decision to make this time, as Attard signed with the Flyers on March 29.

As Attard completed his rookie lap ahead of his NHL debut on April 2, Jessica and Julia were holding each other along the glass.

“There’s no being cool with this,” Jessica declared. “We were so freaking excited.”

The rest of the game was hard to watch. Attard finished minus-four against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Afterward, he told Noreen “These guys are good, man.” But he didn’t say it in a way that led Noreen to believe he was doubting himself. Instead, he was tipping his cap to them and acknowledging the level he needed to get to.

Joining a struggling Flyers team, Attard had what amounted to a 15-game tryout to finish the season. He tried to absorb all he could. In addition to learning who he needed to do on the ice to make it, he learned important locker room lessons. One of the biggest came when the Flyers elected to play him over veteran Keith Yandle, which snapped Yandle’s iron man streak.

“Ronnie will never forget the way Keith Yandle handled that,” Noreen said. “And he hopes that if he’s ever in the same position someday and a young kid comes up, he’ll do the same thing.”

Attard’s focus this season in the AHL has been the defensive side of the game and letting his offense come naturally. He knew he was playing well, but the All-Star selection — he replaced Cam York who was up with the Flyers — came as a surprise. Even though Attard, who was initially planning a trip to Florida during the break, didn’t return with a tan, he came back with proof that what the Phantoms coaches have been telling him was true: “Come in every day and work hard, and you’re going to like where you’re gonna end up at.”

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Attard’s carried that momentum into the Phantoms’ playoff push. And as Ferschweiler predicted, the bigger the moment, the better Attard has played.

Last weekend, the defenseman opened the scoring on Friday against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and scored the overtime winner a day later vs. Belleville.

“He’s playing the best hockey that he’s played for us all year,” Phantoms coach Ian Laperrière said.

The stats paint a clear picture of Attard’s offensive ability, but that’s not what Laperrière is focused on. His offense will always be there, Laperrière said. He just has to defend a little harder — that’s why he was sent to the AHL — but he’s close to starting what Laperrière believes will be a long professional career.

After the Phantoms, who are tied for fifth place in the Eastern Conference, swept last weekend’s three-game set, Laperrière walked in to find Attard holding the aux cord in the locker room. It’s a little thing, but usually, the veterans run the music. Laperrière has never seen a first-year pro given that privilege, but it’s a sign of the respect Attard has earned through his hard work, attitude, and performance.

“The good news and the positive news is his game is just going up ... he’s playing better [as the season goes on],” said Laperrière. “So for Flyers nation out there, they should be encouraged.”