Avs hire former North Iowa head coach to be new bench boss

Frontiersman

WASILLA — The Alaska Avalanche finally have their man.

After months of courting former North Iowa head coach Dave Boitz, the Wasilla-based North American Junior Hockey League franchise has lured Boitz to Alaska to assume the same role with the Avalanche, Avs’ president and general manager Jamie Smith said on Thursday.

Now that the deal is done, Smith said he couldn’t be happier about bringing in a coach who has led NAHL teams to more than 130 victories and who has guided two different NAHL squads to post-season appearances.

Although Boitz did admit the move was a difficult decision, he is excited about the opportunity to call Alaska home.

“It was a really tough choice for me, but I’m really excited to move up there. It’ll be a great fit,” Boitz said on Thursday by phone from his home in Mason City, Iowa. “At the same time, I’ve got a really good thing going here.”

Boitz is leaving a North Iowa organization that includes colleagues he’s worked closely with for many seasons. There are coaches he’s shared a bench with for upward of eight years and North Iowa’s general manager, Rick Wesp, is also a former coach of Boitz who he has known for most of his life.

“There are some deep relationships here,” Boitz said. “But they’re happy for us to make the move.”

Not only does Boitz see this as an opportunity to help guide a burgeoning hockey franchise, but it’s a chance to move to an area that he and his family appreciates.

“We really love the area,” Boitz, a native of Anoka, Minn., said. “First and foremost it’s a great place to raise a family.”

Boitz and his wife have a 2-year-old daughter. His wife also has extended family in Palmer.

Alaska will be Boitz’ third stop in the NAHL. He spent two seasons at Alexandria, and led the Blizzard to 28 wins and a spot in the playoffs in 2004-05 campaign.

Following that season, he made the move to North Iowa where he led the Outlaws to the playoffs in each of the last two seasons. Last season, the Boitz-led Outlaws won 38 games and the Central Division title.

Coincidentally, Boitz was the first head coach hired by both Alexandria and North Iowa.

“I’ve started two teams from scratch,” Boitz said. “It’ll be nice starting with a team that’s existing.”

Smith, who coached against Boitz during the 2007-08 season, said he’s long known that Boitz would be a good fit in the future plans of the Avalanche organization.

“One of the things that sticks out is his work ethic,” Smith said. “That’s kind of what attracted me to him.”

Smith said he and Boitz also mesh philosophically.

“We’re both on the same page,” Smith said.

Smith said it was important to bring a coach to Alaska who understands that the job doesn’t end when the team leaves the ice.

“That was key for us, the first thing we looked for,” Smith said. “We want a guy who’ll come in, put his nose to the grindstone and work; work on the business aspects of it.

“The longevity of the job depends on the financial end of it.”

Boitz said he has no quarrels about devoting a good chunk of his time to the business and marketing end of junior hockey.

“That was a main focus here in North Iowa,” Boitz said. “I did all the sales for the team.”

Smith said both also agree about what type of team the Alaska franchise intends to put on the ice.

“The kids we want to bring in, the system we need to run, we’re pretty much on the same page,” Smith said.

Boitz also echoed Smith’s desires to lure the top hockey talent the 49th state has to offer to the franchise.

“If you can get the best Alaska kids, you’re doing pretty well,” Boitz said. “Obviously some are going to slip through, but if you get most of those guys you’re going to have a pretty good hockey team.”

Boitz is the fourth head coach in the history of the Alaska franchise. Former UAA and Anchorage Aces star Dean Larson was named the team’s first head coach, and led the then-Wasilla Spirit for a season-and-a-half before resigning.

Former UAA standout and assistant coach Keith Morris, who is currently the Avs’ director of hockey operations, guided the team on an interim basis for the final half of the 2006-07 season.

Smith led the Avs during the 2007-08 campaign, before his promotion to team president and general manager.

Boitz’ first duty is to help organize the Avs’ Minnesota tryout camp, slated for July 11-13 at the Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis.

Boitz is expected to arrive in Alaska sometime in August.

Contact Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.