Staff photo / Brian Yauger. Youngstown Phantoms camp participant Ryan Rucinski brings the puck around the net this past weekend at Pittsburgh’s UPMC Lemieux Sports Complex.

Over the last week, new Youngstown Phantoms coach Ryan Ward got to get acquainted with his roster at the team’s main camp held in the Pittsburgh area.

This is Ward’s first head coaching job at the USHL level and the excitement was apparent. He’s risen through the ranks, starting as a video coach for the New York Islanders and spent last season as the Director of Player Development for the USHL’s Tri-City Storm.

As he enters year one with the Phantoms, Ward has assembled a staff to help him fulfill his goal of helping the players reach their respective goals.

“For the past 12-15 years, you try to gain as much experience as you can, so you’re ready for these moments,” Ward said. “I think that getting to know the guys has been phenomenal and you feel confident, ready to step in here to try to get these guys to reach their ultimate goals.

“I think that probably the thing I’m most excited about, is that we have a staff that works extremely hard and we have a staff that works through things and the biggest thing is we’re all on the same page. As much as I’m the head coach, we have an army of people and our personnel do an unbelievable job so it makes my life a lot easier.”

There’s been plenty of work done throughout the week, but there was still room for some fun. During one of the days of camp, the team went to a nearby TopGolf facility to spend the evening.

Andrew Strathmann, who was brought into the organization via trade just a few days prior to camp, had a great experience.

“It’s been a good atmosphere,” he said. “Going to TopGolf with (the team) was fun and I’m trying to enjoy it as best as I can. It’s been unreal so far.”

Cuts to the roster were made throughout the week. A group that started at 220 players has been cut down to 30, with 18 affiliate players.

Before the season starts in late September, the roster will need to get trimmed again to 25 roster players.

Even when the roster was down to six teams of 19 players each, there was still plenty of top-to-bottom talent. Ward is comfortable with whoever makes the team given what they’ve shown.

“We’ve had tremendous parity,” Ward said. “The last three games that we had today, gave us a great look, and they’re really making some tough choices for us.”

Strathmann, William Whitelaw and Chase Pietila are three names Phantom fans should get used to hearing. Whitelaw made a brief stop to Youngstown last season, but will be a full-time member.

Pietila on the other hand spent all of last season with the team, playing 56 games on the blueline with the Phantoms. He’ll be spending one more season in Youngstown before going off to Michigan Tech.

Other names to keep an eye on are Matthew Perkins and NHL Draft Picks Tyson Dyck and James Fisher.

“I think we have a good chance to see most of the (NHL Draft picks),” Ward said. So I think this year we’re going to have several NHL picks in our lineup with a few more in the hopper for next year. I don’t think there’s ever been a more exciting time to be part of the Youngstown Phantoms.”

The Phantoms’ training camp starts in early September and the team’s first game is set for September 23 as a part of the USHL Fall Classic held in Cranberry Township, Pa.

byauger@tribtoday.com