Phantoms begin camp to select 2010-11 roster

Special to The Vindicator

Youngstown

The Youngstown Phantoms selection camp begins today at the Ice Zone in Boardman.

The week- long camp will be divided into three portions. The selection camp will be open to the public. Schedules and rosters will be available.

Thursday and Friday will feature the goaltender camp. Each goaltender gets three on-ice sessions over the two days and is evaluated through a variety of drills. This camp gives selected goaltenders a chance to earn a spot in the Phantoms’ final camp starting Saturday.

The Phantoms will return one veteran goaltender, Jordan Tibbett, and will be looking for one or two new goaltenders for next season.

Matt Mahalak, has moved on to join the Plymouth Whalers of the Ontario Hockey League.

The Phantoms’ final camp takes place on Saturday and Sunday with eight teams on hand for three games each. Non-veteran players will compete for an undetermined number of spots for the next phase of the final camp which takes place on Monday.

Players from all levels have been invited with a focus on high school-aged players.

Fans can also get their first glimpse of the Phantoms’ recent draft selections including John Fritsche (6-foot-2, 185 pounds), the first-round pick from Parma who played last year for the. Fritsche is a right winger.

The last phase of the final camp is June 14-16 as the top prospects from the camp and Phantoms veterans compete before the rosters get trimmed two remaining teams of players. Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning will be the final games where the roster will be determined.

The Phantoms must trim down their 30-man protected list by July 1 to a 25-man list, which can be kept through the end of September into the USHL’s Fall Classic, a pre-season showcase in Sioux City, Iowa.

Immediately following that event, the Phantoms’ roster must be cut to 23 for the 2010-11 season.

Training camp begins Aug. 26.