Avalanche name for captains for 2007-08 season

WASILLA — Soon after Jamie Smith was hired to be the head coach and general manager of the Alaska Avalanche Junior A hockey squad, he made major changes to the Alaska roster.

After his work was done, only five players were remaining from the 2006-07 squad that finished in last place of the North American Hockey League’s South Division.

So when it came time to pick his captains for the 2007-08 season, the choices were not difficult.

Last week Smith tabbed three of those returners — defenseman J.C. Richardson, forward Larry Kincaid and forward Travis Stevens — as captains. He also picked defenseman Teddy Zierden, a player he traded for, to be another captain.

“It was easy,” Smith said of the choices. “I hand-picked Travis, J.C. and Larry to come back.”

Richardson will be the captain of the squad and wear the ‘C’ on his sweater, Stevens, Kincaid and Zierden will be the assistants.

Smith said he met with each one of the players on the roster following the 2007-08 season and Stevens, Kincaid and Richardson were among the players who truly bought into what Smith and the new coaching staff were trying to do with the young junior hockey franchise.

“I wanted kids who are going to respect what I’m doing and buy into what’s going on,” Smith said.

Smith also kept forwards Tyler Currier and Sean Ranum.

The other players were either traded or given their release.

Smith saw the leadership abilities in the three returners and the newcomer, Zierden.

“He’s a veteran in our league,” Smith said of Zierden, who was acquired in a trade with Alexandria. “He knows what’s going on. He’s going to do very well.”

Smith also quickly found the four players he chose as captains had already gained the respect of the team. He asked his players to pick who they thought should be the captains of the Alaska squad.

And the team picked Richardson, Kincaid, Stevens and Zierden.

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