Avs taken in USHL draft

PALMER — A pair of Alaska Avalanche players were selected in the United States Hockey League draft on Monday.

Forwards Matthew Friese and Eliot Grauer were each grabbed during the Tier I Junior A hockey league’s 19-round entry draft.

Friese, a former Wasilla High standout with past USHL experience, was selected by the Lincoln Stars in the fifth round. Grauer was taken by Des Moines in the 14th round.

Alaska general manager Dave Boitz said he hopes to see both players back in an Avalanche sweater next season.

“Both of those guys are good enough to play in the USHL, but we’ll see,” Boitz said.

Even though they were drafted, Friese and Grauer would still have to make the USHL roster.

After starting the 2010-11 season in USHL, Friese returned to the Avs and scored a career-high 23 goals. The Wasilla native averaged more than a point per contest, tallying 23-18-41 totals in 32 games. He was also a plus-14. Boitz said he believes Friese could have hit the 70-point mark with a full season with the Avs.

Friese opened the season with USHL’s Tri City, and was held scoreless in four games. He was traded to the Chicago Steel, and had two goals and four assists in 10 games.

Grauer was acquired in a trade with Wenatchee just before the NAHL trade deadline. The forward also recorded more than a point per game, posting seven goals and four assists in 13 games.

Grauer had 19 goals and 17 assists in 41 games with the Wild.

A pair of former Avs were also selected. Ceder Rapids took Jake Barber with the final pick in the first round. Barber was traded to Wenatchee in the deal that brought Grauer to Alaska. Beau Walker, who skated with the Avs in 2009-10 before moving on to Corpus Christi, was selected by Sioux City in the fourth round.

Friese is one of at least three Alaskans taken in the draft. Anchorage’s Ryan Cole, a former Dimond player who Has already committed to Yale, was also taken by the Stars. Cole was nabbed in the third round.

Former South Anchorage goalie Talon Miller was selected late in the draft by Tri City.

The NAHL draft is May 26.