Avalanche sign first tender

Feb. 20, 2007

By Jeremiah Bartz/ Frontiersman

WASILLA - The Alaska Avalanche have signed their first tender for the 2007-08 season.

Alaska general manager Keith Morris announced last week, Grant Highly will have the opportunity to skate for the Avalanche next season.

&#8220Grant is a big physical player who can skate and handle the puck,” Morris said of the 6-foot-4 and 190-pound forward. &#8220He's been scoring a lot of goals this year in a pretty good AAA league back in Ohio.”

The Powell, Ohio, native currently leads the Ohio Junior Blue Jackets with 31 goals in 42 games. He is second on the Midget AAA squad with 52 points. The physical and aggressive forward also has 152 penalty minutes.

Morris coached Highly's older brother, and has known the family for a number of years, he said.

&#8220I know what type of character he has,” Morris said.

Morris also noted Highly is an accomplished student. He currently holds a 4.0 grade point average at Watterson High School in Columbus, Ohio.

&#8220This is the type of individual we want in this program,” Morris said. &#8220The type of player who can definitely move on to the next level.”

Highly is just the first of several players who will be tendered by Alaska in the next four months. Signing a tender in junior hockey is similar to acquiring a free agent in other sports. Alaska has 12 tenders this season, Morris said. Each team in the North American Hockey League is allotted eight per season, but the Avs have acquired four more via trade.

Alaska will also acquire players in the 2007 NAHL draft in May.

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