Avs captain commits to DI program

PALMER — The Alaska Avalanche have discovered a knack for developing Division I blueliners.

The Palmer-based Tier II Junior A hockey franchise delivered a pair of defenseman to DI programs last spring, and recently added another to the list.

Alaska captain Joe Schmitz has committed to the University of Connecticut and will play for the Division I Huskies next season.

“It still hasn’t set in,” Schmitz said after scoring a power-play goal during win over Wenatchee last Friday. “It’s one of those things, I started playing hockey when I was 4 and my goal was always to play Division I hockey. With hard work and support from my parents, coaches, teammates, growing up all the way from little mini mites to high school to now juniors. It’s been quite a ride and it feels good to finally make a dream come true.”

Schmitz joins former Alaska teammates Jake Williams (American International College) and Dan Senkbeil (North Dakota) as Avalanche blueliners who have committed to DI programs within the last eight months.

Throughout his time with the North American Hockey League franchise, Avs coaches have believed Schmitz was destined to skate to the DI level.

“For sure, I definitely think he’s a DI guy,” Alaska head coach Corey Millen said earlier this season.

Schmitz, a second-year Avs defenseman, said all of the coaches who have stood on the bench during his tenure (former head coach Brian Huebel and assistant Sean Fish last season, and Millen and new assistant Josh Petrich) this year have helped him see this goal become a reality.

“Last year the coaches helped me improve, these coaches this year, Coach Millen and Coach Petrich, have been absolutely unbelievable for us,” Schmitz said. “They know the game.”

The 6-foot-3, 210-pound defenseman has played in 72 career games for the Avs, tallying 7 goals and 21 assists. Schmitz sports a plus-9 rating overall and has a pair of assists in three career playoff games.

The Lino Lakes, Minn., native was skated in the Centennial High hockey program as a promising young defensman before graduating to the junior level.

Alaska drafted Schmitz prior to the 2009-10 season, but Schmitz opted to play for Sioux City of the United States Hockey League. Schmitz suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery that season and was traded to NAHL’s Owatonna. He played in only five games for the Express that season, and following the year, Schmitz was tendered by Alaska.

In 2010-11, Schmitz immediately became a top blueliner for the Avs. In addition to providing a sturdy presence in the Avs defensive zone, Schmitz put together 5-12-17 totals while playing in 55 of his team’s 58 regular season games.

Prior to this season, in what was seen as an obvious choice by most, Schmitz was named captain of the team.

“To me it’s as obvious as it gets,” Millen said after the Avs placed the ‘C’ on Schmitz’s sweater.

Millen said leadership, strength and toughness are among what Schmitz brings to a hockey team. Those attributes could help Schmitz earn time on the ice early in his career with the Huskies.

Schmitz said the opportunity to play as a freshman was among the factors that led him to choose Connecticut, a program that competes in the Atlantic Hockey Conference.

“I feel like there’s an opportunity to hopefully get on the ice right away,” Schmitz said. “But nothing’s handed to you. They’ll give me an opportunity to play, but I need to go in there and I need to earn it. I need to keep working hard and improving to make sure I earn a spot. Nothing’s given to you, especially at that level.”

A handful of DI programs showed interest in Schmitz, but once he visited the Storrs, Conn., campus, he was hooked.

“I loved everything about it,” Schmitz said. “I loved the guys, the school is absolutely incredible. It’s a public school with a private school feel.”

Schmitz said he’s looking forward to living in a different part of the country and in a community that loves its Huskies.

“The East Coast is absolutely incredible. I’d never been out there before. It’s fun to be on a different side of the nation,” Schmitz said. “Everything in Connecticut is Husky. It’s Husky Nation.”

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com.