Avalanche score in NAHL draft; Wasilla junior hockey franchise selects trio of Alaskans

May 25, 2007

By Jeremiah Bartz/ Frontiersman

WASILLA - Jamie Smith and the Alaska Avalanche certainly have their priorities. And at the top of the list is finding the top talent in the 49th state and bringing those players into the organization that bears the state's name.

After tendering contracts to six Alaska players earlier in the offseason, the Avalanche selected three more skaters from the Last Frontier during the annual North American Hockey League draft on Tuesday.

&#8220It's important for us to send a message to Alaska kids now,” Smith said. &#8220We want you to play here. It's important you play here.”

Alaska used three of its four selections in the draft to select Alaska talent, drafting Anchorage natives Braden Kinnebrew, Alex Young and William Rapuzzi.

Alaska also selected Alexander Winnik, of California.

Kinnebrew, a big stay-at-home defensmen, helped South Anchorage High School win its third straight large-schools state championship in February.

Kinnebrew is one of four South Anchorage standouts who Alaska now owns the NAHL rights to. In April Alaska tendered forwards Kyle Pichler and Dylan Jones, and goaltender Nathan Corey.

Like Pichler, Jones and Corey, Smith said Kinnebrew brings a winner's mentality to the Avalanche.

&#8220He's been a winner. He's used to winning,” Smith said.

The assistant captain of the state championship squad recorded six goals and 26 assists during the 2006-07 high school season.

Kinnebrew has also skated in the Alaska All-Stars organization.

Young - a 6-foot-2, 205-pound forward - spent the 2006-07 season as a part of the Princeton Posse in the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League, skating at the Junior B level.

&#8220He brings a ton of toughness and outstanding skill,” Smith said of the player who led the Posse with 36 assists and 45 points.

The Avalanche took a bit of a risk with the selection of Rapuzzi with their fourth pick. Even though Alaska holds the NAHL rights of the former Dimond High School standout, Rapuzzi could opt to play in another Junior A league, such as the United States Hockey League or the British Columbia Hockey League. But if the Avs can lure Rapuzzi to Wasilla, the franchise will be getting an elite-level prospect, Smith

said.

&#8220We wanted to take a chance on him. He's a big-time player,” Smith said. &#8220He's a Division I guy all the way.”

Rapuzzi spent last season skating in for Belle Tire Midget AAA squad, a Detroit-based program.

In Winnick, Smith said, the Avs are getting a strong, hard working player with outstanding character. Smith said he expects Winnick to be a big contributor for the Avalanche, on and off the ice.

Alaska also tendered a pair of players, and acquired two more via trades in the days leading up to the draft.

Smith signed a pair of forwards - Alex Rasmussen of Minot, N.D., and Tommy Engseth of Hermantown, Minn.

Rasmussen spent last season in the Omaha (Neb.) Energy Midget AAA program. The forward scored 58 points and served as his team's captain.

Engseth, a 6-2 center, helped lead Hermantown High School to a 29-0-2 record and Minnesota IA state title during the winter. He scored in Hermantown's 4-1 win in the state title game.

In trades, Alaska acquired a pair of NAHL veterans.

The Avalanche shipped forward Paulos Shiferaw to Alexandria this week for defensmen Teddy Zierden.

The 6-0, 200-pound blueliner appeared in 35 games. Smith said Zierden is a &#8220blue-collar defensmen,” who can help fill a void on the back line.

Alaska also acquired forward Chris Smith from Marquette.

Last season Smith posted 14 goals and 18 assists in 36 games.

&#8220He's pretty active offensively, and he can put the puck away,” Smith said.

The Alaska head coach said he is thrilled to get a player who scored 32 points, despite playing in only about half his team's games.

Before his stint in Marquette, Smith skated for Surrey in the BCHL.

Each of the 17 franchises in the NAHL are allotted two draft picks and eight tenders during the offseason. Alaska was able to acquire more picks and tenders via trades.

The expansion Kenai River Brown Bears had the first pick in the draft, selecting Sean McGaughy a forward who spent last season with Peoria of the Central States Hockey League.

Alaska selected Kinnebrew with the second pick overall.

Smith said the Avalanche are still working to rebuild the roster of a squad that finished 16-39-7 last season, and more trades are expected to be announced in the coming weeks.

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