Former Avs forward finds new home

WASILLA — At just 19 years old, Matt Friese is already a seasoned junior hockey veteran.

The former Wasilla High standout started his Junior A career with the Alaska Avalanche at 16, and since he’s played in 122 career North American Hockey League games and seen time with a pair of United States Hockey League squads.

Friese entered the offseason unsure of where the 2011-12 season would take him. But now the forward feels he’s found the right place, as he prepares to head into the season with the USHL’s Lincoln Stars.

“It was a couple of weeks before the USHL Draft and I didn’t know what I wanted to do,” Friese said recently. “I didn’t know if I wanted to go to the USHL, ask for a trade or stay with the Avalanche.”

Friese could have returned to the Avs, a franchise in which he stands as the third-leading scorer in team history with 122 career points. But he’s always been drawn to the USHL, the country’s top Junior A league.

Friese has 16 career games in the USHL. He suited up for a pair of games with Tri City, scoring a goal during the 2009-10 season. Friese started the 2010-11 season with the Storm. But after four games he was traded to the Chicago Steel. Friese played in 10 games with the Steel, picking up 2-4-6 totals.

He was then traded back to the Avalanche.

“Last year was a rough year, being bounced around,” Friese said.

Friese had success in his return with the Avs, averaging more than a point of game with his 23-18-41 totals in 32 contests. But it wasn’t as easy as it looked, Friese said.

“When I came back to the Avs, it wasn’t all fireworks and flowers. I struggled with some stuff,” Friese said.

Friese has never lacked skill, and with the third-most goals in team history, the Wasilla native has an obvious eye for the net.

“It wasn’t really the physical, it was the mental,” Friese said. “It was really 100 percent mental.”

Friese said former Avs head coach Brian Huebel helped him out, and it was nice to have his family around for support. But there were growing pains that came with his whirlwind hockey career.

After two seasons of high school hockey, Friese made the jump to the NAHL at 16. He also committed to Division I Alaska Anchorage at 16.

Friese has since decommitted and continues to search for his next hockey home. But in the meantime, Friese believes he’s found a place to play in Lincoln.

Four teams contacted Friese prior to the USHL Draft and asked, if selected, would he play for them. Ironically, Lincoln was not among those teams. Finally, about a week before the draft, Friese called each of the teams and said, “Draft me and I’ll come.”

As it turned out, Lincoln selected Friese in the fifth round.

Friese will be reunited with longtime friend and rival Jared Hanson on the Lincoln roster. Friese is a former Wasilla Warrior, and Hanson played two years of high school hockey with the Palmer Moose.

Friese and Hanson skated together at the youth level with the Mat-Su Eagles.

“I’m really excited about it,” Friese said. “It will be quite the opportunity. We grew up together. We played on the same line playing squirts, and we tore it up.”

Friese and Hanson also played on the same line during Lincoln’s offseason camp. For more on Hanson see the accompanying story on Page B1.

Like Hanson, Friese is also looking for his opportunity to play Division I hockey. As a three-year veteran of juniors, heading into his fourth, Friese said he’d like this to be the final season at this level.

“I’m ready to move on,” Friese said. “All my best friends are off at college. (Juniors) has been a real fun experience. But it’s supposed to be a fun experience for two years.”

Friese said he wants to wait to pick a school and program until he’s found what he feels is the best choice for him.

“I’m a little bit picky. I’ve waited this long to find a school, I might as well wait and see and find the right one,” Friese said.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com and follow him at twitter.com/matsu_sports.