Avs named NAHL Top Prospects

WASILLA — Three members of the Alaska Avalanche will have the opportunity to showcase their skills in front of numerous college scouts during the three-day Top Prospects Tournament.

Jeremiah Dargis, Kent Detlefsen and Alex Young were among 60 players chosen to compete in round-robin tournament that is slated to start on Feb. 17 at the Ice Cube in Ann Arbor, Mich., North American Hockey League officials announced on Monday.

Alaska Avalanche head coach and general manager Jamie Smith said, without a doubt, skating in this tournament is a great chance for the junior players to showcase their skills.

Dargis, Detlefsen and Young were included in a handful of names that Smith submitted to the coaches picked to lead the South Division All-Star team — Wichita Falls head coach John Bowkus and Fairbanks head coach Rob Proffit.

Detlefsen currently leads the squad in numerous statistical categories including goals (17), assists (17) and points (34).

Detlefsen is also the top scoring defenseman in all of the NAHL.

“As far as talent goes, he just makes things happen,” Smith said by phone from Frisco, Texas, on Monday, where he and the Avalanche are preparing for a three-game road series against the Texas Tornado. “He sees the game about five seconds ahead on the rink.”

Detlefsen is the only regular skater who is averaging more than a point per game for the Avalanche.

Young, an Anchorage native, is Alaska’s captain and its third-leading scorer with 10 goals and 17 assists.

Smith said it’s not just the scoring numbers he puts up, it’s also Young’s leadership and work ethic that is impressive.

“He’s such a leader,” Smith said. “He doesn’t cheat you as far as what he gives on the rink.”

Smith said skating in the Top Prospects Tournament could turn out to be an especially good opportunity for Dargis, one of Alaska’s young forwards.

“Coaches will get a good look of him right off the bat,” Smith said.

In his first year at the Junior A level, Dargis is second on the team with 29 points (12 goals, 17 assists).

“He’s got the most upside on our team,” Smith said.

The former Wasilla High standout is also known to be the fastest skater on the Alaska squad.

Smith said a handful of other Alaska players — most notably goalie Dusan Sidor, forward Dustin Skinner and defenseman Teddy Zierden — also were deserving of selection, but he his happy with who is going to Michigan for the tournament.

Dargis, Detlefsen and Young will skate for the South Division All-Star team. The tournament features teams from one of the league’s three divisions, and a team from the United States National Development Program.

The USNDP team will include players from both its U-17 and U-18 programs.

Alaska was awarded three selections on the South Division All-Star team, based on it’s place in the South Division standings as of Jan. 1. The first-place team in the South Division was given five selections, the second-place team earned four selections, the fourth-place team was given three selections and the final two teams in the division were given one selection each.

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