Trio of Avs to play for USNTDP in exhibition

WASILLA — Alaska Avalanche president and general manager Jamie Smith though the Avs’ top line of Alex Young, Tyler Currier and Kyle Pichler was arguably the most impressive offensive trio during the four-day North American Hockey League Showcase in Blaine, Minn., last week.

Apparently, Smith is now the one who felt that way.

After catching Young, Currier and Pichler in action during the season-opening event, officials from the US National Team Developmental Program are giving the Avalanche players the chance to suit up and skate for the USNTDP squad during an exhibition against the University of Alaska Anchorage at the Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Ice Arena on Thursday.

“I’m pretty excited about it,” Young said by phone from Minnesota on Saturday. “I’m looking forward to the opportunity.”

Young called the game, “a once in a lifetime opportunity,” especially from a hockey player hailing from Anchorage.

“UAA is kind of a school that I’m looking into,” Young said. “It’ll be cool to play them and see if I am at that level.”

Young would welcome the opportunity to wear the Seawolf green and gold one day, but now he’s relishing the opportunity to wearing red, white and blue.

“Wearing the USA jersey is going to be a big thing,” Young said.

Currier and Pichler are also from Anchorage.

The Avs are helping host the UAA-USNTDP exhibition on their home ice, and Smith said his players’ chance to suit up for the US National Team came as a result of a conversation he had with USNTDP director of hockey operations Scott Moneghan.

“He said they needed three guys (to fill out the roster), so why don’t we give them our top line — Young, Pichler, Currier” Smith said.

The USNTDP squad also includes two other Anchorage natives — defenseman William Wrenn and goalie Adam Murray.

Both Wrenn and Murray have verbally committed to play for the University of Denver of the Division I Western Collegiate Hockey League.

Also on the squad is Ryan Bourque, son of former NHL great Ray Bourque.

Young, Currier and Pichler combined for four goals and seven assists in four Showcase games, and are three reasons why the Avs opened the season with a 3-1 mark and are riding a three-game winning streak.

Currier leads the squad with five points (2 goals, 3 assists) and is tied for 11th in league scoring. Pichler and Young have a goal and two assists each.

Young was one of five NAHL players to have notch a shorthanded goal during the Showcase.

Alaska forward injured

Forward Dylan Jones suffered a broken hand during a 4-3 win over Traverse City last Thursday and will be out four to six weeks, Smith said.

Jones, a former South Anchorage standout, also missed time with a broken hand last year.

Jones, who posted a power-play goal during Alaska’s season-opening loss to Alexandria, collected two goals and 16 assists in 45 games last season.

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