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Phantoms release three-year veteran Evancho
By Tom Williams
BOARDMAN
Because of hard choices, Youngstown Phantoms head coach Anthony Noreen says releasing the team roster is “the day I look forward to the least.”
Wednesday, the Phantoms revealed their official lineup for the 2014-15 USHL season, Noreen’s fourth as head coach. Cut from the team was forward Zach Evancho, a member of the Phantoms for the past three seasons.
Noreen called the move “one of the toughest I’ve ever had to make. It’s a situation where we had to do what’s best for us and what’s best for him.”
Evancho joined the Phantoms around Christmas 2011. In 108 games for the Phantoms, he scored 13 goals and 17 assists.
Last season was his best on offense (eight goals, nine assists in 51 games). Evancho also finished plus 2 in the on-ice rating, second best on the team.
Noreen said releasing Evancho gives the forward a chance to join a team who can provide more playing time. He does not have a college committment.
“Getting him into a bigger role with another team might get him to his goals faster,” Noreen said.
Evancho is free to sign with any USHL team. Lone Star owns his rights in the North American Hockey League.
“It’s always hard to let guys go, probably the hardest part of the job,” Noreen said. “It’s one of those things where you have to take your heart out of it, especially when it’s a guy like Zach who’s done everything we’ve asked him to do the last three years.”
Also not on the roster is defenseman Alex Carle, who is recovering from hip surgery and unable to attend training camp. Carle played six games last fall before being injured.
Seventy-two hours before the season opener against Team USA in Ann Arbor, Mich., Noreen said he has not yet made up his mind whether veteran Colin DeAugustine or newcomer Chris Birdsall will get the start in goal.
Last fall, DeAugustine started most of the Phantoms’ games when No. 1 goalie Sean Romeo suffered a nagging groin injury. DeAugustine was 8-12-4-1 with a goals-against average of 3.46.
In the offseason, the Phantoms traded a fifth-round pick to Cedar Rapids for Birdsall, who has committed to Boston College. In two seasons with the RoughRiders, Birdsall was 17-22 with a 3.50 goals against average and .877 save percentage.
Noreen said he’s leaning toward pairing veterans Tommy Parran and Matt Miller for his top defensive duo.
Earlier this week, the Phantoms traded an eighth-round draft pick for Chicago Steel defenseman Connor Yau. Noreen said the team needed a veteran on the back line and praised Yau’s hockey sense and skating ability.
Up front, Kyle Connor will be on a line with center Trey Bradley and right wing Brian Lemos.
“We’re not 100 percent set on lines,” Noreen said.
Max Letunov, a fourth-round selection by the St. Louis Blues in last June’s NHL draft, was linemates with Josh Melnick and Taylor Best in the Phantoms’ two preseason games.
“They were good together,” Noreen said.
Forwards Josh Nenadal and Kiefer Sherwood are the other returning Phantoms.
John Ronan, who was a volunteer assistant coach with NCAA champion Union last season, has replaced assistant coach Michael Zucker, who has relocated to Seattle to work in the software industry.