BACK ON THE ICE

PALMER — It was a busy offseason for the Alaska Avalanche.

Since the final horn sounded on the 2009-10 season, the North American Hockey League found a new head coach and address.

Former head coach Dave Boitz moved into the general manager’s chair and his assistant last season, Brian Huebel was promoted to bench boss. The Avs opted to move about 20 miles east, leaving it’s old home in Wasilla in favor of the new surroundings of the Palmer Ice Arena. On top of that, the Avs added about a dozen new players to the roster.

After all of that change, the Huebel-led Avalanche were finally able to get back on to the ice Thursday afternoon.

“There’s definitely a sense of normalcy being out there on the ice,” Huebel said after the team’s first practice at the Palmer Ice Arena.

Huebel and assistant Sean Fish led the current edition of the Avs through a two-hour practice.

“For me personally, and I am sure Sean will say the same thing, more of who we are really came out today, letting the guys know who we are and how it’s going to be,” Huebel said. “It was a breath of fresh air.”

The players were as excited to get back on the ice.

“It was a great feeling to be back with the boys,” said Zach Smith, an Anchorage native entering his third season with the Avalanche. “just the atmosphere, being around the team again.”

Smith, who led the team with 48 points last year, is one of nine veterans back for another season and there are currently 14 new players on the roster.

Smith said, it’s early, but he likes what he sees so far.

“We’re pretty young, but there’s a lot of talent,” Smith said. “Very fast team for the first practice. There were some hits out there. The forwards were putting pucks in the back of the net. Overall, I thought it was a great first day.”

Huebel said he was also happy with the first practice.

“There’s some rust. But I told the guys, there’s 25 other teams in the league probably going through the same (thing),” Huebel said. “We just need to get in shape quicker and stay in shape longer than the rest of them.”

Now with one practice under their belts, the Avs will continue to move forward with their sights set on Sept. 10. Alaska opens the season that night against the Kenai River Brown Bears at the Palmer Ice Arena.

“We’re building up for it. Everyone’s ready, I think,” Smith said. “If I could, I’d play it tomorrow.”

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