Patrick Williamstheahl.com writer
Ontario's domination was turned away in back-to-back games last weekend, Colorado Hawks goalkeeper Trent Miner Turn around and become a pair of masterpieces.
But like the reign, nights like this are rare, he has one of the most powerful forward groups in the AHL. They also need to score points as they try to reach out to the leaders of the Pacific Division.
The three points are separated from Ontario, between Colorado and Calgary. The Domination, the Firebirds, Wranglers and the Eagles woke up first sometime last week.
Locking the division’s championship brings valuable rewards: The Pacific Division’s No. 1 finished in the best first round with two-thirds avoiding encountering popular goalkeepers in a short series.
The Ruler resumed the Tucson operation tonight and then built a home with San Diego. One of the keys to Ontario will be their All-Star forward Samuel FagemoHe returned to the roster last week after missing the first five games. When Fagemo gets hot, few teams have offensive weapons as dangerous as Swedish-born strikers, who scored 43 goals in just 50 games last season.
Fagemo, who turns 25 next year, is taken away by the Los Angeles Kings in the second round of the 2019 NHL draft. He has made amazing progress in the AHL – he scored 124 goals in 247 games against his dominance – but has not yet translated into the NHL success. Nashville asked him to be exempted from the waiver at the start of the 2023-24 season, but he played only four games with the Predators before being exempted and recaptured by the Kings. Overall, Fagemo has 3 goals and 1 assist in 21 NHL appearances.
He has elite shooting, which he always uses. His 155 goals put him in sixth place in the AHL this season. It's also an accurate move, with 17.4% of his shots scoring in his AHL career.
Fagemo signed a one-year contract with Los Angeles in 2024-25. Kings – For that matter, the Kings and 31 other organizations in the NHL know that he can target one by one at the AHL level. But can he do this in the NHL? More importantly, can he be the effective, reliable two-way existence that every NHL team seeks?
Fagemo thinks he can.
“The biggest thing is being consistent in the 200-foot race,” Fagemo said. “That's what I really work this year. I just want to work hard every day and hopefully finally have a shot on it.”
Dominant head coach Marco Sturm Played 938 NHL games with six NHL teams including the Kings. He was a scorer throughout his career and he had to readjust himself in his career as he could contribute in ways that surpass the scoring table. This is the blueprint Fagemo can follow.
“He’s a good fit for me,” Fagmo said of his coach. “He is [a] Development coach. He talks a lot with the players. He has a very positive mind, but he also has many expectations.
“I'm really grateful that he believes in me so much and plays me a lot, so it can help me grow too. I have a great relationship with him.”
It's the day-to-day job – the details here, one detail – that can bring Fagemo back to the NHL. There is a problem with practicing and developing time, then applying the game on ice, game output.
The problem is, Fagmore doesn't have to take on Ontario's offense either. There are no forwards who rule. Dominant averages 3.24 goals per game, with double digits of seven forwards. Charles Hudon tied for seventh with 48 points in the AHL, then Jeff Marlott (17 goals, 25 assists) and Glenn Gawdin (15 goals, 28 assists) followed closely behind.
Last season, Domination finished the game with 91 points in the regular season and swept their first two playoff series before falling into the Coachella Valley in the finals. Navigating numbers again in the spring of this year is difficult, but there are many reasons to think Ontario can take the next step.
The stout defensive performance brought the team deep into May and June. This is also what can drive Fagemo in the NHL to stay.
“The biggest thing for me right now is to be patient and hope for a chance,” Fagemo said.
During the fifty years in the American Hockey League, Theahl.com writer Patrick Williams currently covers the NHL.com and Flosports leagues and is a regular contributor to Siriusxm NHL New Network Radio. He won the AHL’s James H. Ellery Memorial Award for his outstanding league coverage in 2016.
