Hockey franchise one step away

JEREMIAH BARTZ

Frontiersman sports editor

WASILLA - The Mat-Su Valley is one step away of becoming the home of a Junior A hockey franchise.

Organizers of the effort to bring junior hockey to the area are already making moves to give the Valley club a Valley feel.

Pending the approval of the North American Hockey League, the Springfield Spirit, a franchise based in Springfield, Mo., will be moved to the Mat-Su Valley under new ownership and begin playing its home games at the Curtis C. Menard II Memorial Ice Arena in Wasilla.

The final decision is expected to be made at the league's board of governor's meetings in Denver, Colo., on June 7.

Until that final decision is made, the new franchise is working like it has a team preparing to take the ice in September. The, as of yet unnamed squad, has already participated in the NAHL draft, and tendered contracts to a collection of Alaska talent. That groups includes the most talented hockey player in the Valley, and one of the best in the state - Wade Williams.

The Houston High School senior inked a contract with the Valley team, and will skate with the squad if, and when, the move is signed, sealed and delivered. The prospect of playing in front of a true home crowd has Williams more than excited.

"(The idea) of playing in front of my peers, my dad, my friends at home is awesome," Williams said.

Williams established himself as one of the top players in the state during his four-year run with the Hawks. He helped lead Houston to state titles in three of his four seasons, and finished with a school-record 242 career points. Williams posted 37 goals and 33 assists during his senior season.

Williams nearly signed with another NAHL squad, the Wichita Falls Rustlers, but quickly passed a possible move to Texas, in favor of the chance to play in the Valley.

As the community suffered through the on-again, off-again saga of - 'is a junior team coming?' - Williams explored other options.

"There was supposed to be a team last year and we all had our hopes up," Williams said. "I didn't know what to think."

But as soon as speculation became more of a reality, and the new squad began recruiting players, Williams leapt at the opportunity.

"I said 'send (the contract) here, and I'll sign it," Williams said.

The entire process took about four days, Williams said.

Former Anchorage Aces and University of Alaska Anchorage star Dean Larson has been hired as part of both the coaching staff and general manager's office. Larson, who participated in the league draft and signed Williams, said adding Alaska players and Valley talent is crucial to building a fan base.

"That's huge. This team is going to be a total Valley team and we're looking for support from everywhere in the Valley," Larson said. "A guy like Wade Williams, he lives out here, plays hockey out here and the people will come out to support and watch him.

"He's a quality kid. Even if he didn't live up here, we would still want him to skate with us."

Williams' may also have the opportunity to play beside his older brother Jake, once again.

Jake Williams was also among the best players in the state during his career with the Hawks. The 2003 Houston graduate scored 212 career points. For the last two seasons, he has been one of the top forwards for the Dubuque Thunderbirds of the Junior B Minnesota Junior Hockey League. Jake Williams has not been offered a contract, yet, but will be invited to the team's first camp, which upon approval of the move by the league, could be scheduled for as early as June 16.

Jamie Smith, head coach of the Houston Hawks hockey program, said former Hawks Jamie Bennett and Rick Morlock are also expected to be invited to the camp.

"For (Valley team), it's a sharp move," Smith said. "It will put 200 or 300 more fans in the seats, no question. (Houston) draws 700 per game. Half of those people are going to go watch (the junior team)."

In addition to Wade Williams, the Valley squad also tendered contracts to Dimond High School goaltender Spencer Alvarez, West High forwards Geoff Mies and Neil Walsky and West defenseman Jonathon Smith. They also drafted Dimond defenseman Arnie Krogh.

"We want to take these Alaska kids and give them an opportunity to play top-notch junior hockey," Larson said. "It's a really good thing for these kids to have that kind of opportunity right in their back yards."

The new franchise could sign a lease with the city of Wasilla and the Wasilla Multi-Use Facility within the next couple of weeks, recreation and cultural services manager Bruce Urban said.

The lease is in developing stages, Urban said, and has been presented to the team. Pending league approval, Urban said, the lease can be signed at any time.

If for some reason the league decides not to approve the move of the Springfield club to the Valley, all contracts with the players and the Mult-Use Facility would become null and void. But everyone involved feel the vote is just a

technicality.

"The last hurdle is the league vote with the owners, but everything sounds positive on that front," Larson said.