Trade pays off quickly for Avs

WASILLA — Before the start of the 2009-10 North American Hockey League season, it was unclear where Jake Williams would fit on an NAHL roster.

The Springfield Junior Blues owned the rights to the 5-foot-9, 175-pound defenseman. But during the off-season, Springfield traded Williams to the Alaska Avalanche, a team that expected the Duluth, Minn., native to be its fifth or sixth defenseman at best.

But since landing in Wasilla, Williams has established himself as a top-four blueliner for the Avs. Williams has five goals and 12 assists, and posted a +11 rating during the first half of the season.

This week, Williams will be one of five Alaska players representing the Avalanche during the NAHL Top Prospects Tournament, which starts Monday at the Ice Cube in Ann Arbor, Mich.

“We were very fortunate,” Alaska head coach Dave Boitz said of the trade that brought Williams to the Avalanche. “Springfield wasn’t sure how he would fit in. We only had to give up a tender, it worked out really well for us.”

Boitz said Avs assistant coach Brian Heubal had scouted Williams, so the player was already on Alaska’s radar.

“We love those kids from that part of Minnesota,” Boitz said.

Once Williams hit the ice for the Avs, the Alaska coaches expected him to add depth to the blue line and contribute more in the future.

But Williams quickly exceeded those expectations.

“We expected him to be a fifth, sixth defenseman, an in-and-out guy a little bit,” Boitz said, “a guy who could develop and be a top-four guy next year for us.”

But, Boitz said, sometime in mid-October during a tough stretch that included wins over Wenatchee and Fairbanks, the coaches watched as Williams rapidly elevated his game.

“The light started coming on,” Boitz said. “Now, he’s a top-four (defenseman).”

Boitz said Williams brings versatility to the Alaska blue line. He can park himself in front of the Avs net, but with 17 points in 33 games, Williams has also shown the ability to contribute on the offensive end.

“He’s a good skater and does a lot of things really well,” Boitz said. “He can kill penalties and play on the power play some.”

Williams has another season of junior hockey eligibility, and Boitz feels the defenseman could have a future in the college ranks.

“He’s a Division I prospect for sure,” Boitz said. “That’s why he got voted on the team.”

Williams is one of three first-year NAHL players who were selected to represent the Avs on the NAHL West Division all-star team during the Top Prospects event. Goalie Kale Robertson and forward Berkley Scott were also selected during their first season in the league.

Veteran defenseman Jake Parenteau and second-year forward Zach Smith were also invited.

Williams and Parenteau will also represent a group of Alaska defensemen that has been key to the early-season success of the Avs. Captain Logan Maly and second-year blue liner Daniel Hildebrandt are also in that group.

“Maly has been a trooper for us,” Boitz said. “He’s a great leader and a great player.”

Hildebrandt is often regarded as a top penalty killer for the Avs, and had a solid first half before missing virtually the entire month of December due to a shoulder injury.

The West Division All-Stars open round-robin play in the tourney against the Central Division Monday at 3:30 p.m. AST at the Ice Cube.

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