Jason Koehler: Growing up, I enjoyed sports, especially hockey, and I would read The Hockey News [magazine] as a teenager and love the articles on scouting and drafts and trades. Being in a management, executive, leadership-type role sounded like fun and I pursued that passion in the internships and jobs I’ve had since.

My first job in hockey was coaching assistant for the Pittsburgh Penguins under Kevin Constantine, Mike Eaves, Don Jackson and Troy Ward during the 1998-99 and 1999-2000 seasons. They had no reason to treat a 20-year-old like myself like they did, and it was wonderful. They took me under their wing, they answered my questions, and they allowed me to be involved at a level that no 20-year-old should’ve been in the National Hockey League. It was a tremendous experience and I owe them my career.

JK: It’s a very passionate sports town with a blue-collar mentality. The attitude, the work ethic, the competitiveness all very much reminds me of western Pennsylvania [where Jason grew up]. This whole region has that attitude, which is good I believe. People here want an honest effort and I don’t blame them; Youngstown wants winners, they want competitors.

I think everyone knows it’s a football town, but if we build a successful and entertaining hockey product, I think they’ll come and enjoy that and appreciate that. Pittsburgh’s a football town, too, but it’s also a great hockey town. It’s amazing what winning some games and getting a few high-end players will do.

JK: I’ve been fortunate over the years in that this’ll be my ninth year at this level of hockey, so I think experience plays a big part my role here. I’ve been either a general manager or assistant [GM] since I was 23. I’ve also been around the block in terms of expansion teams, since I’ve been with three to this point [including the Phantoms]. There’s certainly a lot of pressure in finding the right pieces to the puzzle right out of the gate, but we were prepared for the situation.

I’d like to believe I’m a very good evaluator of talent, I’d like to think I’m a good recruiter, I think I’m a good communicator with players and parents, coaches and agents. I’d like to fancy myself an architect of successful teams. I’m very familiar with the player pool out there in regards to drafts and trades and free agent signings.

JK: Hockey, at least when I was growing up, was different. Being from the Pittsburgh area, you’re used to all the other sports, specifically football, but hockey was unique. 

I’ve always been impressed by the hockey players who really train and take it seriously – I think those are the best athletes. I just think it takes a hell of an athlete to do the things they can do at a high speed and a high level. I have a lot of respect for them because of that.

JK: I deal primarily in hockey operations. I oversee all scouting, the recruitment of players and preparation for both the [USHL Entry Draft] and the Futures Draft. I also keep track of all free agent players, all the players in our league and throughout the United States. I deal with Division I college programs, plus NHL scouts and NHL Central Scouting, to help promote our players. I work with a lot of the agents to make sure the players are in good situations and develop a level of trust with them. Then there’s the travel to find those top players and make sure we bring in a high level student-athlete. At our level, you have to be able to take the higher caliber athlete and filter out the rest.

JK: It’s been very enjoyable so far. From my viewpoint, I’m very lucky because this franchise has been in place for six years on the hockey side. Maybe not on the same level as the USHL, but you have [Head Coach/GM] Bob Mainhardt who’s comfortable with the area and the region and certainly has the experience and [Assistant Coach Curtis] Carr has been around for three years. They had a nice base for the hockey operations situation, even though it’s technically an expansion team. We didn’t have to find housing families since we already had a great group and we already had relationships with local schools. My experience has been absolutely wonderful, a very enjoyable smooth transition and I certainly enjoy the opportunity that’s been given to me and I’m having a great time and can’t wait for the season.

JK: To win. I hate to lose.

You know what, someday it’s all going to be over, so you’d better appreciate every day of your life and work as hard as you can. There’s a lot of people out there who might have it a lot worse than you, so you’d better be thankful for what you have. There’s a million people who’d probably trade their lives for yours. For me personally, I have a job and a position that I love, so there’s no reason not to work hard and appreciate it.

JK: At the end of the day, the long term goal is to be an NHL general manager. I’d like to be in a position where it’s “your butt on the line.” I like the pressure, the competition, the fact that it’s your call. You have to make those decisions, and you have to have a great staff to work with and trust, but you love to make those hard decisions, because when it pays off it’s well worth it.

JK: Outside of work, I like to keep in shape, I like to go to the gym and work out. I think it’s very important in this business to look like an athlete if you’re going to gain respect from players, parents and agents.

On the other side of the spectrum, I’m a big fan of certain TV shows and movies. It’s certainly nice to take a break from all the travel and scouting and relax at home and watch some good movies from time to time. I absolutely love the movie Jerry Maguire, Vanilla Sky for something different, American Psycho, the recent Batman movies. I also love [the FX Network’s] Nip/Tuck, I just think it’s hilarious.

JK: The easy answer is probably to say athletes early on, but as you get older you really appreciate your parents. I was very fortunate to have two outstanding, loving parents that cared about me every day. They put up with things that I look back on and think I wouldn’t have tolerated that! But they stuck by me and they cared and I respect that much more as I’ve gotten older. They were unbelievable human beings and mentors.

In the sports world, even though it’s not hockey, I would say Michael Jordan. There was a competitor who was an outstanding offensive basketball player, but realized that he had to change and be a complete player. He changed his tune and did it, and look at the success of the Chicago Bulls. He set the precedent for outstanding elite level athletes to buy into a two-way game. You could compare it to Steve Yzerman and the Red Wings’ transition [in the mid-1990s] to become a championship-caliber team.

The Youngstown Phantoms are a Member Club of the United States Hockey League (USHL), America’s only Tier I hockey league and premier developer of National Hockey League talent with more than 100 alumni on current NHL rosters.

Visit www.youngstownphantoms.com or call the Front Office at 330.747.PUCK(7825) for more information on the Phantoms organization. The Youngstown Phantoms are owned by the B.J. Alan Company (Phantom Fireworks), located in Youngstown, Ohio. 

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