Avalanche stockpile talent in NAHL entry draft

WASILLA — The Alaska Avalanche had fairly specific goals for the offseason.

The Avs want to be bigger on the front line, deeper on the back line and stronger between the pipes.

With 13 selections in last week’s North American Hockey League entry draft, the Avs believe they’re on their way toward realizing all of those goals.

“We addressed a lot of issues,” Alaska president and general manager Jamie Smith said of the organization’s work during annual league draft. “Goaltending we felt we addressed. Defense we addressed. And we added some size up front.”

Alaska used its first selection, the sixth overall pick in the draft, to grab a potential everyday goalie, Matt Hemmingway of Alexandria, Minn.

Hemmingway was named first-team all-state in Minnesota’s Class 6A after leading the state with a 1.50 goals against average and a .936 saves percentage as a senior at Alexandria High School.

Smith called the selection of Hemmingway, who has already received looks from Division I programs such as the University of Minnesota, “a steal.”

In addition to the blue chip goalie, Alaska also selected six forwards and six defenseman in the draft.

Alaska used its second and third choices to draft a pair of players who skated in the United States Hockey League, the country’s lone Junior A Tier I league, last season.

The second pick, forward Ryan Kesti, collected a goal and four assists in 44 games with the Sioux Falls Stampede.

Kesti and Tri-City forward Birkley Scott, Alaska’s third pick, are among nine of the 13 drafted players who stand at least 6 feet tall.

Scott tallied a pair of assists in 12 games with Tri-City last season.

Alaska also picked forward Jimmy Siers, who recorded three goals, six assists and 140 penalty minutes in 50 games with the USHL’s Lincoln Stars last year.

Even though these players could still skate with their USHL clubs next season, Smith said the reward of landing these prospects out-weighs the risk.

“If you can get some of these kids, you’ve got to (draft them),” Smith said.

Smith said the players Alaska selected who have USHL ties are not guaranteed to make the USHL club.

“We knew some of these guys were bubble guys,” Smith said. “If they don’t make the team, where are they going to go? The North American League.”

Dimond High School standout Dax Lauwers, who was also drafted by Lincoln earlier this year, was one of five Alaska products selected by the Avs.

Lauwers played one game with the Fairbanks Ice Dogs as an affiliate last season, and posted two goals and eight assists during 20 prep games with the Lynx.

Also picked were a pair of Anchorage area sophomores. South Anchorage’s Brad Shierhorn led the Wolverines with 33 points (21-12-33) during his second year at the high school level.

Service sophomore Chase Van Allen posted four goals and eight assists in 20 games with the Cougars, en route to earning first-team All-Cook Inlet Conference. He also saw action with the Avs in one game as an affiliate.

Smith was also excited about the selections of Chugiak native Matt Geurts and Jeff Earnest, who is from Whittier.

Geurts posted eight goals and 16 assists for the Creston Valley Thunder of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League in Canada. He spent his freshman year at Chugiak High School.

Earnest is a highly touted prospect coming from the San Jose Jr. Sharks program in California, where he collected 17 goals and 31 assists in 58 games.

Among the other draft picks are defenseman Tyler Briola, Joe Schmitz and Dylan Cosford, and forward Charles Robinson.

Smith said Briola, who was not protected by Wichita Falls, has a ton of upside.

Avs release goaltender

WASILLA — Alaska released goaltender Dylan Woodring, Smith said Thursday.

Woodring was 5-14-1 in 22 games with the Avs last season. He posted a 4.10 goals against and .894 saves percentage.

Avs tender prospects

WASILLA — Alaska tendered three players prior to the NAHL draft, signing defenseman Raymond Stenehjem, forward Seth Johnson and goalie Landon Peterson.

Stenehjem, a native of Anchorage, played in the Belle Tire program in Michigan.

“He’s a really smart player,” Alaska head coach Dave Boitz said. “Very athletic.”

Stenehjem, who Boitz calls a “very offensive player,” posted four goals and 13 assists in 44 games for Belle Tire’s U-18 AAA Midget squad last season.

Boitz expects Stenehjem to be a points producer on the power play at the junior level.

Johnson, a 5-10 forward and native of Minocqua, Wisc., was a member of Team Wisconsin.

Peterson, another Wisconsin product, played for the Madison Capitals.

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

Alaska Avalanche draft selections

Tyler Briola Defense; Wichita Falls/NAHL

Scored a goal and recorded a +1 rating in four games with Wichita Falls last season. Posted 7-15-22 in 53 games for the Pikes Peak (Colo.) Midget AAA club in 2008-09. The native of Parker, Colo., is a 6-1, 190-pound blueliner.

Dylan Cosford Defense; River City Jaguars/NorPac

The 6-1, 170-pound defenseman spent two seasons with Junior A Tier III River City, posting 16 goals and 44 assists in 60 total games. He also had 220 penalty minutes and nine power play goals in two seasons. The native of Beaverton, Ore., had a brief stint with NAHL West Division rival Wenatchee.

Jeff Earnest Forward; San Jose Jr. Sharks AAA

Recorded totals of 17-31-48 in 58 games for the Southern California Midget AAA program. The native of Whittier also competed in the Alaska All-Stars program.

Matt Geurts Defense; Creston Valley/KIJHL

The Chugiak native posted totals of 8-16-24 in 48 games for Creston Valley of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League in Canada. The 6-0, 185-pound forward played at the prep level for Chugiak High School.

Matt Hemingway Goalie; Alexandria HS (Minn.)

First-team all-state goalkeeper in Minnesota Class 6A. Led state with 1.50 goals against average and .936 saves percentage.

Ryan Kesti Forward; Sioux Falls/USHL

Posted 1-4-5 in 44 games for the Sioux City Stampede of the Junior A Tier I United States Hockey League. The 6-2, 198-pound forward is a native of Red Wing, Minn. One of three USHL players drafted by Alaska.

Dax Lauwers Defense; Dimond HS

The 6-1, 175-pound blueliner recorded 2-8-10 in 20 games for Dimond High School, the ASAA 4A runner-up. Recorded 36 points (10-26-36) in 72 games for the Alaska All-Stars. Also drafted in the sixth round of the USHL draft by the Lincoln Stars.

Charles Robinson Forward; Christian Brothers Aca.

The forward hails from a nationally ranked hockey program in Linecroft, NJ.

Joe Schmitz Defense; Centenial HS (Minn.)

Rated as one of the top-10 offensive defensemen in Minnesota. Posted 4-19-23 and a +32 rating in 25 games for Centennial High (17-4-4). Is a 6-2, 200-pound defenseman.

Birkley Scott Forward; Tri-City/USHL

The native of Anoka, Minn., collected a pair of assists in 12 games for the Junior A Tier I team. Scott is a 6-2, 195-pound forward.

Brad Shierhorn Forward; South Anchorage HS

Led South Anchorage with 33 points (21-12-33) as a sophomore. Also competed in the Anchorage South Central Wolves program. Could follow the pipeline that has led former South standouts Nathan Corey, Dylan Jones, Kyle Pichler, Braden Kinnebrew and Robb Haider to the Avalanche.

Jimmy Siers Forward; Lincoln Stars/USHL

The 6-1, 190-pound forward and Mount Prospect, Ill., native recorded 3-6-9 in 50 games with the Junior A Tier I Lincoln Stars. He was also a +7 with 140 penalty minutes.

Chase Van Allen Defense; Service HS

The Service High School sophomore was an All-Cook Inlet Conference selection last season. Van Allen also posted 4-8-12 in 20 games for the Anchorage North Stars and spent time as an affiliate for the Avalanche. Saw action in one game for the Avs last year.