Wisconsin natives are on the move in the North American Hockey League
Written by Chris Walby
11/5/2010
NAHL.com is reporting that the Alaska Avalanche sent Woodruff, Wis. native, Seth Johnson (Lakeland), to the Janesville Jets, in exchange for Green Bay native, Ross Pavek (Notre Dame) yesterday.
“I’m really excited to move to Alaska. I mean, when am I ever gonna get another chance to live in Alaska for a year,” said Pavek, in reference to the trade.
Alaska Avalanche Head Coach, Brian Huebel, a Beaver Dam, Wis. native, is in his first year at the helm and is still searching for the right line up to make a playoff push, according to an article released by the Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman.
Pavek (six goals, two assists, and forty penalty minutes in fourteen games), is a big, strong and offensive forward, that will contribute right away for the Avalanche, which is why Huebel could afford to trade away Johnson, a talented veteran. Pavek joins defenseman Casey Nelson (Wisconsin Rapids) and goaltender Landon Peterson (Madison Capitols) as the three Wisconsinites currently on the Alaska Avalanche roster.
In exchange for Pavek’s services, the Jets receive a feisty little fan favorite in Seth Johnson. Johnson plays gritty, he fights and he can put points on the board. Before yesterday’s trade, Johnson recorded six goals and six assists in twelve games for the Avalanche and had a +11 plus/minus ratio. This is Johnson’s second year in the NAHL and his fifty-nine penalty minutes, ranked second on the Avalanche in the enforcer department this season.
Johnson joins a Janesville Jets squad that currently sits in second place in the North Division, just a few wins behind the St. Louis Bandits. The two top ranked teams are matched up against each other this weekend for a two game tilt in Janesville.
Other NAHL Notables…
On October 28, the Port Huron Fighting Falcons (NAHL) released Devin Stuermer (Catholic Memorial/Pius) and acquired Russell Blaser (Monona Grove) in a trade with the Jets. Blaser had a goal in two assists in his first two games with the Fighting Falcons last weekend, while Stuermer signed yesterday with the Nepean Raiders of the Central Hockey League in Ontario.
Blaser and his new teammates, fellow Wisconsinites, Nick Drill (Madison Capitols), Logan Lemirande (Janesville) and Tyler Jacobson (Middleton) currently sit in last place in the North Division with a dismal 0-13-0 record. Port Huron, who is still in search of their first win this season, is at home this weekend when they host the Springfield Jr. Blues for a three game series.