Avs add forward

PALMER — Last season, when the Alaska Avalanche faced the North American Hockey League rival Wenatchee, Avs coaches couldn’t help but notice the play of Wild forward Brandon Brossoit.

The 5-foot-10, 170-pound forward posted nearly half his 11 points against the Avs, was a +9 in seven games versus Alaska and was involved in couple of memorable scraps. Overall, Brossoit was the type of gritty forward with a scoring touch the Avs tend to like. So when the Los Alamitos, Calif., native became available, the Avs made a deal for him.

“After he became available, we immediately jumped on him,” Alaska head coach Brian Huebel said. “It was kind of a no-brainer for us.”

There was one catch. Brossoit was slated to try out for the Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League, a major junior league. But now, Brossoit has joined the Avalanche, and the acquisition is already paying off.

Brossoit posted two goals and two assists during a three-game set against the Dawson Creek Rage in British Columbia, Canada, last week.

“He had a good weekend,” Huebel said. “We’ve always liked the way he plays. He’s a tough player, a good player.”

Brossoit notched at least a point in each of the three games. He debuted with an assist during a 3-1 win over the Rage last Thursday, followed with a pair of goals during a 5-2 loss on Friday and capped the long weekend with an assist during a 2-0 victory on Saturday.

Huebel said Brossoit brings many strengths to the ice.

“He’s tough, he’s physical, but he’s not overly physical. He knows how to play the body well,” Huebel said. “He’s good with the puck. He’s got the ability to score goals and he can create for guys around him.”

Huebel called Brossoit a top two-line forward on the Avs. Last season, he posted a goal and 10 assists with the Wild. He was also a +6 with 53 penalty minutes.

Huebel said Brossoit’s goal was to play in the WHL this season, a major junior hockey league based in Western Canada and the Pacific Northwest. Major juniors are considered the highest level of junior hockey.

“That league is pretty tough to make it in,” Huebel said.

With the wins over Dawson Creek, the Avs stand in third place of the NAHL West Division with a 4-5-0 record. Alaska returns home this week and will host West Division rival Fresno Friday at Saturday at 7:30 p.m. at the Palmer Ice Arena.

The Monsters, an NAHL expansion team, are 2-1-1.

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