Michigan players selected

Mahoning Valley has had success with others from the same midget program.

BOARDMAN — The Mahoning Valley Phantoms selected a pair of players from Michigan in the North American Hockey League draft Tuesday.

The Phantoms selected defenseman Adam Chavez, a native of Farmington Hills and a senior at Farmington High. He played for Belle Tire’s Midget Major program last season.

In 26 games, Chavez recorded a goal, 11 assists and 16 penalty minutes. At 5-foot-10, 170 pounds, he is focused on his skill set.

“I’ve improved my penalty killing and my play in the defensive zone a lot,” Chavez said. “I need to work on my physical game; stepping up and taking the man.”

Chad Boeckman, Brent Dexter, Derek Graham and Robert Harrison on the Phantoms 2007 roster played previously for Belle Tire.

Center selected

The Phantoms also chose Canton, Mich., native and Salem High senior Grant Blakey. A 5-9, 165-pound center from Victory Honda’s Midget Major team, he scored 18 goals and added nine assists to go along with 40 penalty minutes in 30 games.

“I did a good job of going hard into the corners for the puck and putting it in the net,” Blakey said.

Victory Honda also had four of alumni on last season’s Phantoms roster. They were Chris Fairbanks, Bill Stemzynski, Jason Simota and Mike Fillinger, who was a Honda teammate of Blakey’s two seasons ago.

“We selected two skilled players,” Phantoms assistant coach Curtis Carr said. “They both have tremendous potential.”

Chavez and Blakey join six players who were tendered by the Phantoms over the course of last season. But the pair, along with John Houston, Zack Barbis, Vince Mihalek, Kurt Washnock, Scott Moser and Chris Dyer, are not guaranteed spots on next season’s squad.

Last weekend, the Phantoms conducted the first of two tryout camps in Plymouth, Mich. From June 1-3, the second tryout camp will take place at the Ice Zone.

A select number of players from both camps will return to the Ice Zone for the Phantoms Invitational Camp July 19-22. The team’s training camp roster will then be determined.