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Phantoms inch closer to opener
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Phantoms coach Bob Mainhardt during a recent practice at the Ice Zone in Boardman.
There’s a couple of preseason games scheduled in Chicago for Sept. 11-12.
BOARDMAN — Now that summer’s heat has made a fashionably late arrival, the Youngstown Phantoms are gearing up for a busy winter.
“It seems likes summer just showed up,” said Phantoms coach Bob Mainhardt as he prepares the United States Hockey League expansion team. “As soon as it decides to actually be summer, our season starts.
“It’s not good for the ice, that’s for sure.”
After a week of training camp, several Phantoms are enrolled in area high schools so Mainhardt has his squad practicing weekday afternoons at the Ice Zone.
The team, owned by Bruce Zoldan, will be based in the Covelli Centre, but not until late September.
Last year, Mainhardt coached the Mahoning Valley Phantoms in their final season in the North American Hockey League. They played 20 of their home games in the then-Chevrolet Centre.
Those Phantoms won two playoff rounds and completed their season in early May at the NAHL Robertson Cup Tournament in St. Louis.
A few weeks later, Zoldan announced he was creating a USHL team that will play all its home games in the renamed Covelli Centre.
Mainhardt was named coach and began a whirlwind offseason scouting players for the higher-level league.
Mainhardt is ready for the move to Front Street.
“We were smart to bring some people on who had worked for other teams in Youngstown so they were familiar with the facility as well,” Mainhardt said. “There’s no replacement for experience, that’s for sure.”
He eventually found time for a mini-vacation.
“We spent about four days up in Michigan with my parents. I had two weeks scheduled and ended up getting four [days],” Mainhardt said. The Phantoms are preparing for a pair of preseason games in Chicago on Sept. 11-12, then the USHL Fall Classic that will be Sept. 24-26 at Sioux City, Iowa.
Their regular-season debut will be Oct. 3 at 7:15 p.m. at the Covelli Centre against Indiana.
Mainhardt and his assistant Curtis Carr are learning about the many new faces on the Ice Zone ice. Only two players — goaltender Jordan Tibbett and forward Cole Schneider — were Mahoning Valley Phantoms.
“It’s definitely a good thing to have at least a couple of guys who know how we like things done and can help all the new guys,” Mainhardt said. “That definitely helps out.
“I look forward to the days again when we have six or seven or eight returners, or even more,” Mainhardt said.
“It’s a unique challenge.”
Talking about the new Phantoms, he’s almost like a kid in a candy store.
“We were very meticulous with the guys we wanted to start this new franchise,” Mainhardt said. “And we think we’ve got guys who will fit into our system very well.”
He hopes many fans will turn out this fall to see the skills that will be displayed.
“The difference between being good and great is a real fine line,” Mainhardt said. “You’ll see that these athletes are just bigger and stronger.
“They are just a little bit better but it makes a huge, huge difference. You see what the difference is between good players and pro prospects when you see these guys.”
The one thing he’s already noticed is how the learning curve is higher.
“With this group, we are moving through stuff much quicker,” Mainhardt said.
“It’s almost like in years past, we never got fully through the curriculum. We tried to take it as far and teach them as much.
“I think we will be doing things with this team that we haven’t been able to do with other teams,” Mainhardt said.
williams@vindy.com