Phantoms' Noreen accepts head coaching position in ECHL

By KEVIN CONNELLY

kconnelly@vindy.com

YOUNGSTOWN — After spending more than four years helping to build the Youngstown Phantoms organization and the players that came through it, Anthony Noreen will have a chance to prove himself at the next level.

It was announced today that Noreen has accepted the head coaching position with the Orlando Solar Bears of the East Coast Hockey League, a minor league affiliate of the Toronto Maple Leafs.

“I’ve always said it was going to take a tremendous opportunity to pull me away from Youngstown and I believe that’s what this is,” Noreen said Tuesday morning in an exclusive interview with the Vindicator.

“Orlando and the Toronto Maple Leafs organization has provided me with the chance to be a head coach at a high level and I felt that was something I couldn’t pass up.”

In four seasons behind the bench in Youngstown, Noreen was 126-99-19. His teams made the playoffs in the United States Hockey League three of the four years, including last season’s historic run.

The Phantoms won a franchise-record 40 games and claimed the Anderson Cup for the best record in the regular season with 86 points. Noreen, 32, was named USHL coach of the year by the league’s coaches and general managers.

“Saying goodbye to the Youngstown Phantoms was probably the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do,” Noreen said. “What [co-owner] Bruce Zoldan did for me was give me my first chance to be a head coach and for that I will be forever grateful."

The Phantoms have said they will be conducting a national search for a new head coach beginning immediately.

For more on this story, continue reading vindy.com and check out Wednesday’s edition of the Vindicator.