Moving forward

WASILLA — For the last two seasons, the Alaska Avalanche junior A hockey squad has been a work in progress.

The Avs battled through adversity on and off the ice, and with back-to-back 16-win seasons, the Wasilla-based franchise has spent much of the last two years at or near the bottom of the North American Hockey League.

But the Avs are putting in the work, and this season they hope to see the progress.

Much of that work has involved a multitude of changes.

There’s a new head coach — former North Iowa bench boss Dave Boitz, and the old coach, Jamie Smith, is now running the Avalanche front office as president and general manager.

The Avs made the transition to a nonprofit organization during the offseason to help stabilize the future of the organization financially.

“We brought some solidity to the program last year, and now we feel we can make that turn,” Smith said. “We’re pretty excited.”

And last, but not least, team officials believe they have put together the most talented group of players during the franchise’s four years in the Valley.

The 2008-09 edition of the Avalanche features an abundance of new talent, but returns eight veterans the team feels it can build around.

“We’re so much deeper,” Smith said.

Alaska boasts much of that depth on the front line. Of the eight returners, six are forwards and four of those players scored 18 or more points this season.

Tyler Currier (18 goals, 22 assists, 40 points) is the team’s top returning scorer. Alex Young (14-25-39) just missed the 40-point mark last season.

Kyle Pichler (20-12-32), who led the team in goals last season, is back. Dylan Jones (2-16-18) also returns.

Joining that group is former Wasilla High School standout Adam Friese, who scored eight points in 15 games as an affiliate player for the Avs last season, and Minot, N.D., native Alex Rasmussen, who posted five goals and six assists in 47 games.

“I think we have got quite a few guys with the ability to score,” Boitz said.

Derek Kimbro, an NAHL veteran who was part of the trade that sent Jeremiah Dargis to Springfield, is new to the squad. Kimbro posted four goals and four assists in 53 games.

Also new to the squad is Justin Giles, who scored seven goals and 32 assists for the Tulsa Rampage of the Western States Hockey League last season.

“(Assistant coach) Jake Williams found him on a recruiting trip,” Boitz said. “He’s very dynamic offensively.”

Boitz said Rudy Pino, who posted 35 goals and 31 assists during time with Helena and River City of the NORPAC league will also contribute at the forward position.

The Avs’ front line also includes three of the top prep players in Alaska last season — former South Anchorage standout Robb Haider, the two-time state player of the year, and Service graduates Logan Rounds and Ryan Kowal.

Each of the three topped the 40-point mark during the 2007-08 high school season. Rounds (31-19-50) led the Cook Inlet Conference in scoring, and was followed by Haider (27-21-48) and Kowal (17-25-42).

The Avs also have Anchorage natives Zach Smith and Jay Baldwin at forward, and Trenton Krueger, a White Bear Lake, Minn., native who scored 35 points during the high school season.

The back line has been a noted area of weakness for the Avs, who led the league in both shots and goals allowed last season. But this year, team officials believe that area is vastly improved.

“Defensively, we’ve got a solid core,” Boitz said. “We don’t have that one superstar, but we’re much more solid defensively than they were last year.”

Anchorage native Jason Coen (1-6-7) and Nick Kelly (1-5-6) return to the Alaska blue line.

Boitz said Coen in particular has played well during preseason practice.

“He’s in really good shape,” Boitz said. “That’ll help him play stronger defensively.”

Although the Avs return only two blueliners from last season, Boitz said the team has added a pair of NAHL veterans who will help solidify the Avalanche back line.

Darwin, Minn., native Beau Braun played for Boitz last season in North Iowa and Sean McNeely, of Brooklyn Park, Minn., was at Fargo-Moorhead.

“They’re very solid defensive players,” Boitz said. “Good, smart players.”

Alaska’s first-year blueliners are Anchorage native Tyler Morgan, Logan Maly (Rio, Wisc.), Jake Parenteu (Shafer, Minn.) and Daniel Hildebrandt (Monument, Colo.).

The Avs will have a pair of 20-year-olds — Garrett Tinkham and Austin McGinnis — battling for the position between the pipes.

Tinkham, 1-2-0 with a 3.67 goals against average last year, was acquired in a trade with Springfield during the offseason. McGinnis, 4-6-0 with a 2.76 GAA, played for Boitz at North Iowa.

“Both have the ability to win games in this league,” Boitz said.

Alaska begins its 2008-09 campaign at the NAHL Showcase next week. The Avs open the season on Wednesday against the Alexandria Blizzard and follow with games against Traverse City, the US National Developmental Team and Springfield during the four-day event.

Alaska’s home opener is Oct. 17 against the Kenai River Brown Bears.

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