Avs release 2009-10 roster

WASILLA — Alaska is 10 days away from the start of the season, and the Wasilla-based North American Hockey League franchise now has a good idea of who’ll be on the ice when the Avs drop the puck on the 2009-10 campaign.

Eleven veterans of the Junior A program will lead the Avs into the season when they open with a three-game series against the Kenai River Brown Bears on Sept. 11.

Five of Alaska’s top scoring forwards from last season are back, and four of the Avs top seven blueliners from a year ago also return.

With the returners and an influx of intriguing talent entering the program, second-year head coach Dave Boitz is thrilled about the potential of his team.

“We’re excited about the returners coming back for another year, and we have some exciting new guys who we think can make an impact in this league,” Boitz said Monday.

When just looking at the veterans of the franchise, Alaska has arguably the strongest group of returning talent of the four-year history of the program. Last season, the team returned seven players. The Avs started the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons with five players familiar with the program.

“We’re in better shape than we were in a year ago,” Boitz said. “We definitely have good guys coming back, a deeper core of returning guys.”

Alaska has had talent at forward. The team’s career leading goal-scorer, Kyle Pichler (17 goals, 24 assists last season) is back for a third year. Forwards Robb Haider (13-12-25), Zach Smith (14-10-24), Nardo Nagtzaam (9-14-23), Logan Rounds (12-9-21) and Matthew Friese (4-4-8) return.

But a key for the Avs this season may be the play on the blue line, and Alaska has a solid group of veterans to lead the defensemen. “We feel like we have a much-more veteran group of defensemen, and we stronger in net than we’ve been,” Boitz said.

Jake Parenteu (10-11-21), Daniel Hildebrandt (5-4-9), Braden Kinnebrew (5-10-15) and Logan Maly (2-2-4) are back for another season. Boitz is not only expecting for leadership and strong play on the defensive end, but skill and offensive punch from the group —particularly from Parenteu.

“Parenteu may be the most talented athletically,” Boitz said.

The Avs will have a new group of goalies for the 2009-10 season. Fairbault, Minn., native Geoff Sadjadi appears to be the front-runner for the top spot between the pipes.

“We’re excited about the goalies,” Boitz said. “We kind of have Geoff pegged, but he knows he has to have a ‘W’ on the other side of his name.”

Sadjadi played for the storied Shattuck-St. Mary’s program in Minnesota, and suited up last season for the Innisfill Lakers of the Greater Metro Junior A Hockey League in Ontario, Canada, last season.

Sadjadi has a .930 career saves percentage.

The Avs also have a pair of goaltenders who stood out at the Midget AAA level last year, Landon Peterson and Kale Robertson.

“Both are very talented,” Boitz said. “They’ll be competing for that No. 2 spot, pushing Geoff for playing time.”

Among the newcomers up front for Alaska is Colony High School graduate Blake Huppert. After a stellar career with the Knights prep program, Huppert spent a year with the Peninsula Panthers of the Junior B Vancouver Island Junior Hockey League. Huppert posted 12 goals and 37 assists in 38 games with the Panthers.

“He has great skill,” Boitz said of Huppert. “(He’s) really smart with the puck.”

Among the other incoming forwards are Minnesota natives Zach May, Andy Pearson and Berkley Scott.

May and Pearson combined for nearly 50 goals and more than 120 points during 25 games as seniors for Burnsville High School in Burnsville, Minn. May, the school’s all-time leading scorer, posted 27 goals, 40 assists and a +25 plus-minus rating. Pearson, 21-37-58 and +23, was close behind.

Berkley recorded 17 goals and 15 assists for Anoka High School.

Another talented incoming forward is Seth Johnson, a native of Woodruff, Wisc. Johnson was received an offer from Division I Connecticut out of high school, Boitz said.

Among the new blueliners are a pair of Anchorage natives — Raymond Stenehjem and Chase Van Allen. Stenehjem played for the nationally known Belle Tire midget program last season, while Van Allen was a standout at Service High School.

Alaska currently has 28 players on the roster, but must cut to 25 before competing in the NAHL Showcase in Blaine, Minn., on Sept. 16.

The Avs open the season with their first three games at home, and after four Showcase games and a two-game set against the Bismarck Bobcats in North Dakota, the Avs return home to host Bismarck on Sept. 25.

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