Royals Ups Ante with Mangan

When the Royals general manager Ross Coates announced he was bringing the team back to Corner Brook and wanted to bring the Herder Memorial Championship back to the city there were many that were skeptical.  Coates had previously taken the team from Corner Brook 50 km up the TCH to Deer Lake in an effort to decrease operating costs and to hopefully increase fan attendance.

After a couple of seasons, the Royals are now returning to Corner Brook and Coates has made a major statement in the Central West Newfoundland Senior Hockey League when he said he was building a serious Herder contender.  He has backed up that statement with each move he has made both on and off the ice.

His latest move comes with the acquisition of Phil Mangan, a player with a wealth of experience at the junior, CIS, ECHL and international levels.  He is a player of relatively small stature, at just a little over 5’ tall and weighing in at around 170 lbs according to The Hockey Database.

Despite his size, Mangan has been touted by all those who have coached him and played with him as one of the most underrated players around.  He is noted for his tough defensive style, great hands and with a great mind for the game.  He is also known to have explosive speed that can carry him into the play as well as back defensively.

At just 27 years old some are calling Mangan a late bloomer and that his performance with the Utah Grizzlies last season saw him mature as a player where he netted 11 goals and 20 assists in just 46 games, shining down the stretch in helping the Grizzlies into a playoff spot.

What is more important in signing Mangan, the Royals are sticking to a game-plan.  They are building a much younger team around players that are known to have speed and skill, with the potential to put the puck in the net.  Mangan offers that potential but also brings a bit of grit and toughness back to the lineup especially since Darren Langdon has opted to hang up his skates and take the coaching job for the team.  Mangan can bring back a bit of toughness when needed.  He will bring that toughness up the middle, filling a gap that the Royals had previously identified.

There are some that have looked at Mangan’s stats and have said he has not put up the kinds of numbers one would have expected for an import signing.  However, Mangan’s style of play is one that fits into the new look Royals and one that fits perfectly into a league where teams built around skill and speed (i.e. Cataracts / Caribous) have been rewarded.  In signing Mangan, Coates and the Royals have upped the ante and sent a clear statement throughout the league – The Corner Brook Royals are coming to compete and they are hungry for the Herder.

Have a look at Mangan’s stats here:

You can also watch a Phil Mangan Highlight reel here: