Staff file photo / Brian Yauger Phantoms forward Logan Anderson scans the ice for the puck during a January contest against the USNTDP.

Following his rookie campaign, Youngstown Phantoms forward Logan Anderson is excited to be back for year two.

The team’s 2025 tender signing recorded 17 points (5 goals, 12 assists) in 59 appearances with the Phantoms last year while bringing a physical element to the team’s bottom six. By all accounts, fans should expect to see a jump in his second season.

Making the leap to the USHL isn’t an easy one, but Anderson stayed composed as he learned the ropes. By the end of the year, he started feeling more comfortable.

“It was definitely an adjustment,” Anderson said. “Starting off, it was a lot faster, and I was playing with older guys. As the season went on, and I developed with my team practicing with the older guys. That kind of helped me every day to get better and get more comfortable with the pace of play.”

By the playoffs, that comfort level had grown significantly. Phantoms coach Ryan Ward mentioned that Anderson’s playoff performance is closer to what to expect from the Fort Myers, Florida native this year.

“I thought he did a great job. I thought in the playoffs, there were some times that he was the best player on the ice,” Ward said. “I think Logan is going to be entrusted to do a lot of things, playing every role on our team, and he’s gonna produce offensively a little bit more, and continue to be the dominating physical presence that he was at the end of last year. He’s a very good skater, he’s physical, he’s got an edge to him and now we just need him to take a step, which is organically, the things that we look for in our second-year guys.

“And if you go back through history with (Ryan) Rucinski, the Drug Indians (Jack) Hextall, (Andrew) Strathmann and (Luke) Osburn, Logan is expected to take a massive step and be a huge contributor on this team. If history is a guiding light, then Logan’s right on track.”

Anderson had a great guide last season to show him the ropes with Jack Hextall, a 2024 tender and Anderson’s roommate, taking him under his wing. Having just gone through the ropes of being a USHL rookie the season earlier, it was a perfect match.

Now, Anderson gets to do the same with a crop of young guys, including 2026 tender Austin Hall, who has caught Anderson’s attention.

“I’m definitely looking forward to (becoming more of a leader) because Jack Hextall was doing the same thing I’m doing this year,” Anderson said. “He helped me out, took me under his wing every day, showing what it’s like to help out the younger guys and showing me what it’s like to be one of the bigger guys on the team. I’m looking forward to doing that this year, helping all the younger guys and the new guys this year.”

After watching his roommate get selected in the NHL draft last weekend, Anderson enters his draft year more excited for his own shot as well.

“I was talking with him and just watching the draft, waiting for his name to be picked. I realized he was probably going first round, kept watching. When I saw his name, I just was so happy for him,” Anderson said. “He worked so hard; he was the best and hardest worker on the team. No one deserved it as much as him. I was just so grateful and proud to live with him and be a part of his success.”

With that being a year away, however, improvement is at the forefront of Anderson’s mind.

“(This year I hope to) take a way bigger step,” he said. “Be on the power play, first two lines. Last year was my development year, and this year it’s my time to shine, perform and really have the best chance of getting drafted. (Hextall) showed me and walked me through how to prepare and how to develop.”

Anderson is set to be joined by his cousin this season, Spencer Anderson, who was selected in the 2025 Phase I Draft and was signed to a Standard Player Development Agreement for the upcoming year.

“Oh, it’s unbelievable. Cousins playing on the same team, you don’t really see that very often,” Anderson said. “So, being able to play with a relative is pretty special. And hopefully we’ll play well together and mesh well and have a good time.”

The 2026-27 campaign is set to begin with the USHL Fall Classic, scheduled to begin Sept. 16 at the Blackhawks Ice Center in Chicago. The Phantoms return to Youngstown on Oct. 2 for their first home game of the year against Fargo.

After an early exit last season, Anderson hopes to take this season as long as it can go.

“I’m looking forward to winning. We came up a little short last year in the playoffs, and I’m looking to go a little farther than that and win the whole thing,” Anderson said. “We gotta be a hard-working team. (If we’re down), we can’t stop, we can’t let up. We just have to be the hardest-working team on the ice and show a lot of passion. You’ll go pretty far in the playoffs if you do that.”