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USHL Youngstown Phantoms

Phantoms Add Depth up Front in Future's Draft

April 19, 2011 - United States Hockey League (USHL)
Youngstown Phantoms News Release


YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio - In yesterday's future's draft, the Youngstown Phantoms used four of their six draft picks to add depth at the forward position. The Phantoms draft picks will come to Youngstown from as close as Pittsburgh and as far away as California.

With the Phantoms playing a league high thirty-two one goal games, goal scoring can play an extremely important role in winning those close affairs. The Phantoms wasted no time adding scoring depth to their roster as the first three picks were all forwards. Their first three selections were; Max Becker from Orange, Calif., Jacob Pritchard from Macomb, Mich. and Luke Stork from Pittsburgh.

"We draft the best available players," said Assistant General Manager Jason Koehler. "You can't look at this year's team because odds are most of these players are a year-or-so away. The door is open for these players to come in and compete, but again it's about taking the best available player."

The Phantoms strayed from the forward position in the fourth round to add defenseman Kale Bennett out of St. Louis. Bennett played for the St. Louis Under-16 AAA squad, the same program that helped develop former Phantom and soon to be NHL draft pick, Scott Mayfield.

"St. Louis can be compared to a hockey area like Pittsburgh," said Koehler. "We have seen some high caliber players come out of that 'secondary' hockey market. Professional hockey players that have played in St. Louis have a tendency to stay in the area and coach the hockey youth playing there. This area does not get the attention that a Minneapolis or a Chicago, but some really good players have come out of that region."

After the selection of Bennett, the Phantoms would alternate with the selection of a forward in the fifth round and a defenseman in the sixth round. Jayson Reynolds, a forward out of De Pere, Wis. and Matthew Calabrase, a defenseman out of Park Ridge, Ill. were the Phantoms final two selections.

Yesterday's future's draft also continued to show the growth and expansion of the game of ice hockey itself. The Phantoms selected Stork, a Pittsburgh native in the third round but their first overall selection was Becker, a California native.

"We are no longer looking in just your typical hockey areas," said Koehler. "The game has now expanded from coast-to-coast and from corner-to-corner here in the US. For us it does not matter where a kid is from, we just want to make sure that we pick the best available player that can help our team."

Season tickets for the 2011-12 season are on sale now. Ticket plans start at the early bird low price of just $90. The early bid special ends May 1, so call and reserve your seat for all the USHL action at the Covelli Centre before it's too late. Call the Phantoms office today at 330.747.7825 for more information or to make a reservation today! For a complete Phantoms schedule, visit www.youngstownphantoms.com.

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United States Hockey League Stories from April 19, 2011


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