Austin Coldwell spent the last four hockey seasons in the heartland.
The defenseman from Vancouver might spend the next four in the Last Frontier.
Coldwell recently accepted a scholarship offer to play hockey for the University of Alaska Anchorage.
“They want me to come in and be an offensive defenseman for them.” Coldwell said.
Currently in his second season with the Des Moines (Iowa) Buccaneers of the Tier III Junior A United States Hockey League, Coldwell said he chose Alaska Anchorage over several other schools. One factor was that Anchorage is closer to Vancouver than options that included Maine. Also, he likes that the Western Collegiate Hockey Association has a reputation for developing professional players.
“The WCHA is the most pro-style (college) league,” Coldwell said.
Coldwell, who turns 21 on March 1, was once on the Portland Winterhawks’ protected list. When Coldwell was 15 and 16, he played junior hockey with the Fort Vancouver Pioneers in the Northern Pacific League. Then he headed to the North American Hockey League and the USHL to improve his college stock.
The NAHL is one tier above the Northern Pacific Hockey League among the junior leagues sanctioned by USA Hockey. The USHL is the top tier of junior hockey sanctioned by USA Hockey.
Coldwell played his 17-year-old season with Bismarck (N.D.) of the NAHL. The next season he was with Springfield (Ill.) in the NAHL. Moving as a 19-year-old player to Des Moines in the USHL, Coldwell was a USHL all-star last season when he had 12 goals and 24 assists in 58 games.
Through 39 games this season, Coldwell leads the Buccaneers with 27 points (six goals and 21 assists). He has a team high 112 shots on goal.
Des Moines (21-16-2) is fourth among eight teams in the USHL Western Conference. The Buccaneers are averaging more than 3,000 fans through 20 home games this season. Coldwell said the atmosphere is a fun one for players.
So is the style, which he describes as wide open and fast-paced.
“It’s kind of a run-and-gun style league,” Coldwell said.
But it was Coldwell’s discipline, both as a student and in learning to be a responsible two-way player that helped him land a full scholarship from the Seawolves.
“Austin has bought into becoming an all-around defenseman. It’s a big reason why he’s received so much interest as of late and has ultimately earned a scholarship,” Des Moines head coach and general manager Regg Simon told the USHL website. “His offensive production is important for our team, but so is his ability to play in our end as well. That’s where his most significant improvement has been.”
Pink the Rink
The Portland Winterhawks are close to a sellout for Saturday’s Western Hockey League game against the Chilliwack Bruins at Memorial Coliseum. The “Pink the Rink” game will be played on pink ice, and the Winterhawks will wear special jerseys that will later be auctioned off to benefit the Susan G. Komen For The Cure Foundation.
The Winterhawks have been idle since last Saturday, but will play five games over eight days including a trip to Prince George for a back-to-back set. Saturday’s game is the last scheduled for the Coliseum in the regular season. All four March home games are in the Rose Garden.
Center Ryan Johansen has been hot in February. The Columbus Blue Jackets top pick last June has 13 points in the last five games. He has averaged better than a point per game in every month this season. Johansen leads the Winterhawks with 1.33 points per game this season, one of five players on the team with more than a point per game average.
Jags at home
The River City Jaguars play home games at Mountain View Ice Arena at 7:55 p.m. today against Eugene and at 12:55 p.m. Sunday against Puget Sound, with a visit to Medford on Saturday in between. Their last regular-season home game is on Friday, Feb. 25. They are scheduled to play a home playoff game on Friday, March 4.
