Phantoms will be the sixth Tier 1 AAA Club in Illinois
Bethesda, MD – Black Bear Sports Group (“Black Bear”) is pleased to announce the formation of the Chicago Phantoms AAA, a new Tier 1 youth hockey club that will play out of Seven Bridges Ice Arena in suburban Chicago beginning with the 2024-25 season. The USA Hockey sanctioned Chicago Phantoms AAA will field teams at 9U thru 14U in year one, and at all levels in year two and will participate in the Tier 1 Hockey Federation whose teams include nationally ranked clubs such as the NJ Rockets, Mid Fairfield, Flyers Elite, Team Maryland, Biggby Coffee Hockey, Esmark Stars, NJ Hitmen, Mercer Chiefs, and many others. The Phantoms are the AAA youth affiliate of the Black Bear-owned Youngstown Phantoms of the United States Hockey League, the 2023 Clark Cup Champions.
“Chicago was badly in need of another AAA hockey club, and we are thrilled to be able to fill that need in the community,” said Murry N. Gunty, Founder and CEO of Black Bear Sports Group. “Seven Bridges is one of the best Tier 1 arenas in the country and we expect to use the Phantoms to feed our junior teams at all levels including the Youngstown Phantoms (USHL), the Maryland Black Bears (NAHL) and both the Mercer Chiefs and PAL Jr. Islanders of the USPHL NCDC.”
Chicago Phantoms AAA will be led by Gregg Naumenko, former college and professional player and current Regional Director of Operations for Black Bear’s four Chicagoland rinks. Prospective coaches should contact Gregg at gnaumenko@blackbearsportsgroup.com.
“Seven Bridges will be the permanent home of the Chicago Phantoms AAA. With a private locker room complex boasting 14 locker rooms and a private gym, our amenities are second to none,” said Gregg Naumenko, head of the Phantoms AAA. “With Black Bear’s support and commitment to Tier 1 hockey and junior/college player advancement, we have the resources to invest in great coaches and elite player development and therefore expect to be one of the top programs in Chicago very quickly.”
The Phantoms will be announcing its coaching lineup and tryout dates in the next two weeks. Go to phantomsaaa.com for more information.
About Chicago Phantoms AAA
Chicago Phantoms AAA Hockey Club is Illinois’ premier Tier 1 Youth Hockey organization headquartered at Seven Bridges Ice Arena in Woodridge, Illinois. The club enjoys many advantages at Seven Bridges Ice Arena including convenient location, two high-quality ice sheets (NHL & Olympic), dedicated Phantoms locker room complex, performance training center, and an on-site restaurant & bar for families and fans. Sanctioned by USA Hockey and the Amateur Hockey Association of Illinois (AHAI), Chicago Phantoms AAA teams participate within the prestigious Tier 1 Hockey Federation. Chicago Phantoms AAA Hockey serves as the official Tier 1 youth affiliate of the USHL’s Youngstown Phantoms and boasts organizational affiliations with several additional Black Bear Sports Group Junior Hockey clubs across the nation, including; Maryland Black Bears (NAHL), Mercer Chiefs (NCDC), PAL Jr, Islanders (NCDC), Hamilton Chiefs (EHL) and PAL Jr. Islanders (USPHL Premier & Elite). For more information on Phantoms AAA hockey, visit PhantomsAAA.com.
About USHL Youngstown Phantoms
The Youngstown Phantoms are one of 16 member franchises of the United States Hockey League (USHL), the only Tier 1 Junior Hockey league in the United States. The Phantoms are the reigning USHL National Champions after capturing the Clark Cup in 2023. Subsequently, the club was voted USHL Organization of the Year for the 2022-23 season. The Phantoms have seen over 150 players commit to NCAA Division I schools and 31 have been drafted into the NHL, including 6 selections in the 2023 NHL draft. Notable NHL alumni include Kyle Connor Brett Murray, Scott Mayfield, Jiri Sekac, Andrej Sustr and Nathan Walker.
About Seven Bridges Ice Arena
Seven Bridges Ice Arena is a multi-purpose sports facility located in Woodridge, Illinois. Opened in 1994, the 114,355 square-foot facility houses one NHL-sized rink and one Olympic-sized rink, as well as a turf field. The sports surfaces are complemented by party rooms that support a variety of corporate functions and private events. Additionally, the facility is home to on-site businesses including the Whiskey Hill Taproom & Pizza Bar, Bridgedale Academy, 200×85 Hockey, and Tucci’s Pro Shop. Seven Bridges provides the community with various hockey and skating programs, public skating, leagues and private rentals.
About Black Bear Sports Group
Black Bear Sports Group is a privately held company formed by Murry Gunty and Blackstreet Capital Holdings, LLC in 2015 that seeks investments in sports and entertainment facilities, teams, and youth sports events. Black Bear arenas are clean, professionally managed, and offer world-class recreational programs. Black Bear focuses on ice arenas in metropolitan areas with compelling demographics, markets with a National Hockey League club presence, and arenas with existing youth hockey clubs. Black Bear not only features the ability to acquire healthy and stable arenas but also the expertise required to turn around mismanaged or underperforming facilities. The largest owner/operator of ice arenas in the U.S., Black Bear’s footprint totals 37 facilities across the United States with 72 sheets of indoor ice, four indoor turf fields, 35 youth hockey clubs, four hockey leagues (Atlantic Hockey Federation, Atlantic Girls Hockey Federation, Tier 1 Hockey Federation, and National Girls Hockey League), two tournament businesses (Defender Hockey Tournaments and The Show Tournaments), seven Junior “A” hockey franchises with membership in the United States Hockey League, North American Hockey League, USPHL NCDC, USPHL Premier and Elite, and the Eastern Hockey League, and Foundry Adult Hockey, the largest adult hockey organization in the USA.