The Youngstown Phantoms bolstered their roster for the upcoming season and beyond this week, selecting 31 players between both phases of the USHL Draft in addition to the two tender signings.

Phase I, also referred to as the “Futures Draft,” is exclusively for 16-year-old prospects by the time the season begins. These are typically more developmental picks, with their USHL timeline a season or more away.

With the Phantoms’ first-round selection of the Phase I Draft going toward tender Austin Hall, right-shot defenseman Noah Drouin went first off the board for Youngstown with the last pick of the second round. Drouin spent last season with the Chicago Reapers 15U program, where he had 23 points (10 goals, 13 assists) in 32 games.

Seven picks later, Nash Wilford came off the board. Wilford comes from the Buffalo Jr. Sabres AAA program and was a prolific set-up man for the Sabres, tallying 117 points (34 goals, 83 assists) in 84 games split between 15U AAA and T1EHL competition.

Fifth-round selection Paxson Madill was selected out of Hermantown High School in Minnesota. The diminutive forward, listed at 5-foot-5, has a great scoring touch, netting 34 points (11 goals, 23 assists) in 27 games with his high school.

The Phantoms had two picks in each of the next two rounds, taking a forward and defenseman combo in both. In the sixth, the Phantoms took forward Chris Sawyer and defenseman Gavin Gust. They took forward Dylan Leickfield and defenseman Asher Baron in the seventh.

Left-shot defenseman Ondrej Jonak was the team’s lone European selection of the first phase. Jonak spent last season with the Bishop Kearney Selects program, tallying 40 points (2 goals, 38 assists) in 53 games. Jonak is also the younger brother of Phantoms’ assistant general manager Adam Jonak.

Youngstown had two selections again in the ninth round, taking a pair of forwards. First off the board was Canadian forward Jackson Conroy, also from the Bishop Kearney Selects program. They also took high-scoring forward Blake Stephens from the Honeybaked program. Stephens scored 105 points (41 goals, 64 assists) in 106 total games.

Phase I concluded with the Phantoms taking forwards Henry Cooley and Lee Russom, defensemen Jack Hair and Alejandro Jarl and goaltender Aiden Cullen.

Phase II encompasses all other junior-age players, ages 17 to 20. These players are more likely to be counted on as options for the upcoming season. Some players already have USHL experience but were left unprotected by their teams.

The Phantoms’ first Phase II selection was also a tender. On Monday, the team announced the signing of forward Lukas Zajic from the US National Team Development Program. Zajic scored 61 points (35 goals, 26 assists) in 111 career games with the NTDP.

“We are excited to bring Lukas to Youngstown, as he is a highly skilled winger who we expect to have a profound impact on our ability to score goals and win hockey games this upcoming season,” Phantoms co-GM Jason Deskins said in a press release announcing the deal. “Zajic has gifted hands and will be one of the most dangerous offensive players in the league.”

With their first proper selection of the Phase II Draft, the Phantoms took Norwegian-born blueliner Axel Brongel-Larsson. The 6-foot-1, left-shot defenseman comes from the Frölunda program in Sweden and is a projected selection in the NHL Draft this summer. As of the last NHL Central Scouting rankings, Brongel-Larsson was ranked as the 59th European skater.

Next off the board for Youngstown was the first of three goaltenders, American-born fifth-round selection Brady Knowling. Knowling also spent last season with the NTDP, putting up an .880 save percentage, and he represented the United States at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup. He’s ranked as the top North American goaltender by NHL Central Scouting and as high as the 27th overall prospect by The Hockey News editor Ryan Kennedy.

Goaltenders Mans Goos and Nikita Oleksiienko were later taken in the 11th and 12th rounds, respectively.

The Phantoms added a pair of defensemen with their two remaining fifth-round picks, selecting Wilhelm Hasselhuhn and Vashek Blanar.

Hasselhuhn hails from the Swedish Linkoping HC program, scoring 36 points (12 goals, 24 assists) in as many games with the U20 Linkoping squad. Blanar is a 2025 fourth-round Boston Bruins draft pick who spent last season with the Swedish club HV71. He’s committed to the University of Massachusetts for the upcoming season per EliteProspects.com but could wind up in Youngstown if plans change.

Seventh-round draft selection Kamden Kaiser had his breakout season last year in the NAHL and is a name to watch making the jump to the USHL. Kaiser, a right-shot forward, put up 63 points (33 goals, 30 assists) in 58 games with the El Paso Rhinos.

In round nine came the Phantoms third Swedish defenseman of Phase II, Max Vilen. Vilen split last season between the Saint John Sea Dogs and Moncton Wildcats of the QMJHL. The 6-foot-3 blueliner is a two-way defenseman who isn’t shy about carrying the puck up the ice and averaged nearly half a point per game in his first season playing in North America.

The Phantoms had two picks in the 10th round of Phase II and added defenseman Patrick McCormick and forward Linus Rudslatt Debou. McCormick spent last season with Northwood School in New York. Rudslatt Debou is a left-handed right winger who plays in the development system of Swedish club Skellefteå AIK. The forward was third on his team with 34 points (15 goals, 19 assists) in 36 games with a club that has multiple NHL draft selections on its roster.

The Phantoms filled out their prospect pool in the final rounds of Phase II with forwards Liam Kilfoil, Caden Lindsay and Matyas Jonak and defensemen Luke Pilkington, Jack Peterson and Adam Boatter.

Fans can get their first look at the new additions and fan favorites when the team reconvenes at Phantoms main camp at a time and location yet to be announced.