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Spotlight on teammates at Phantoms’ tryout camp
BOARDMAN
Life without Kyle Connor has begun for the Youngstown Phantoms.
Their hope is that the next future NHL lottery pick is one of the more than 120 players in attendance at this weekend’s annual tryout camp at the Ice Zone in Boardman.
The coaching staff and front office have two days to evaluate, sift through and finalize the team’s roster for this season. Many of the skaters participating have already been scouted by someone in the Phantoms’ organization, but this weekend provides an opportunity to see everyone in action on the same ice.
The player who drew the most eyes during his two scrimmages on Saturday was Jacob Tortora. The Phantoms tendered the young forward just prior to phase one of the USHL Draft in May, forfeiting their first-round pick.
Tortora, 15, arrives with plenty of hype and plenty of skill, despite his 5-foot-6 frame.
“We’ve never been a team that’s evaluated based on size,” Phantoms head coach Anthony Noreen said.
“We evaluate based on hockey sense, skill, compete level and what type of person they are. As far as those four things go, he’s elite in every category.
“He’s a great kid, competes every single shift, has a high, high hockey sense and high, high skill. That’s the reason we went out and tendered him.”
Tendered players are required to be on the team’s roster to open the season and play at least 55 percent of their regular-season games. It was a risk by the Phantoms to tender Tortora, since he had been a first-round pick in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) Draft by the Barrie Colts just a few weeks prior.
“We have never been a team that’s recruited against other organizations or leagues,” Noreen said. “What we’ve always done is sell what we have here. We know we have a great opportunity here and we know we want what he is.
“I think he’s a guy who could be another franchise-type player for us.”
Tortora, who is committed to Boston College, would forfeit his NCAA eligibility if he opted to play in the OHL, because they pay their players. While college hockey is still three years away, it’s a dream he’s unwilling to part with just yet.
“I think I’m a college player, so I think this is the right place for me,” said Tortora, who was born in Victor, N.Y.
“It was a dream come true, because I watched Boston College my whole life. Just getting recruited by them was great.”
Tortora put up big numbers with the Don Mills Flyers Minor Midget AAA team in Toronto. He recorded 68 points, including 31 goals, in 52 games last season.
While the Phantoms were scouting Tortora, they became intrigued by his linemate, Brad Cocca. The two posted nearly identical numbers, with Cocca finishing with 69 points, including 27 goals, in 61 games.
They liked the duo together so much they drafted Cocca in the fourth round.
“[Don Mills] is one of the teams that’s perennially pumped out high-end players,” Noreen said. “They were two of the leading scorers in the league and obviously had some great chemistry on a line together.
“A lot of times when you come into junior hockey it takes a month, or two months, or maybe even a year to develop that chemistry with a linemate or a teammate. Those are two guys that we know when they come in here are going to have that right away.”
They kept the two on a line together, along with Kole Sherwood, during Saturday’s scrimmages. The result was more of the same success and a new fan of their work.
“They’re funny,” said Sherwood, who played for the Phantoms in their final three regular-season games last season.
“They argue on the bench like little brothers, but they’re good. They have chemistry, so it was good for me to try and find them, which was a different experience for me.”
The tryout camp wraps up today at 6 p.m. The team is expected to release its final 23-man roster by Monday.