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CLAY LEADS THE WAY! PHANTOMS RE-SIGN THEIR TEAM SCORING LEADER!
Co-Captain Clay Potochny Returns After a Team-Best 25-Point Season
GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Phantoms’ leading scorer is coming back, the leadership group remains strong and every major piece of the famous Line One is officially under contract!
The West Michigan Phantoms have re-signed forward and co-captain Clay Potochny for the Fall/Winter 2026–27 season.
Potochny led the Phantoms with 25 points last season, scoring 12 goals and adding 13 assists while completing the campaign with zero penalty minutes. That performance increased his Phantoms career totals to 108 goals, 65 assists and 173 points, accompanied by only six penalty minutes.
His team-leading season also carried him across two significant career milestones. Potochny recorded his 100th Phantoms goal and surpassed 150 career points before continuing all the way to 173.
As a member of the Phantoms’ famous “Line One,” Potochny provides a dangerous combination of finishing ability, playmaking and disciplined hockey. His 12 goals tied Trevor Zenas for the most among the three Line One forwards last season, while his 13 assists helped push him to the top of the overall team scoring race.
With Potochny joining Hunter Tuggle and Trevor Zenas on the Fall/Winter roster, the Line One Express is now fully assembled. The former Lakeside Locomotives have become one of the most recognizable combinations in Phantoms hockey, bringing speed, chemistry and consistent offensive production to the lineup.
Potochny’s responsibilities extend well beyond scoring. As a co-captain, he provides leadership and accountability while helping set the standard for the team’s younger and newer players. His ability to lead without sacrificing discipline is reflected in a career total of only six penalty minutes despite producing 173 points.
Before joining the Phantoms and Lakeside Locomotives, Potochny built an impressive collegiate career at Virginia Tech. The Butler, Pennsylvania native recorded 28 goals, 40 assists and 68 points in 70 ACHA Division II games, averaging nearly one point per contest across three seasons.
His strongest collegiate campaign came during the 2018–19 season, when he produced 11 goals and 16 assists for 27 points in 27 games. He later added a 12-goal season during his final year with the Hokies.
That collegiate production has continued in West Michigan, where Potochny has scored 108 of his 173 career Phantoms points through goals. He now begins the upcoming campaign 27 points away from reaching 200.
The return of Potochny gives the Phantoms their leading scorer, retains another member of the leadership group and completes the return of Line One for Season 62. After leading the team last season, the co-captain now has an opportunity to raise the standard again.
Clay led the way last season, Line One is back together and the Phantoms’ top scorer is ready for another run!
WELCOME BACK, CLAY POTOCHNY!
LINE ONE IS COMPLETE!
FEAR THE EYES!
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