Sports

Aces captain Wrenn voted second-team All-ECHL

A dose of light brightened the Alaska Aces' otherwise dark season Thursday, when captain William Wrenn was named an All-ECHL Second-Team selection at defense.

Wrenn, 25, a fourth-year pro from Anchorage, ranks tied for fourth in scoring by blueliners on the minor-league hockey circuit with 4-37—41 totals in 57 games.

Wrenn was honored in voting by league coaches, media, media relations directors and broadcasters. His selection marked the sixth straight season, and 11th time in the last 12 seasons, at least one Aces player was voted first-team or second-team all-league.

"He's probably been our most consistent player,'' said Aces coach Rob Murray. "He's played well. Had a couple of injuries and missed a few games, and when he was out of the lineup, you really noticed.''

Murray has used his captain in all situations and leaned on him so much that although the ECHL does not track ice time, Wrenn surely leads the Aces in average ice time per game.

Wrenn has spent the last three weeks with the Utica of the American Hockey League after the Aces, who have since been eliminated from playoff contention and will finish with a losing record for the first time in the franchise's 13 seasons, loaned him to the Comets. Wrenn has played just one of nine games since he joined Utica.

Wrenn, reached in St. John's, Newfoundland, where the Comets arrived Thursday, said he appreciated the award, and would gladly trade it for a playoff spot.

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"Individually, any time you win an award like that you're proud, and I'm honored to accept it,'' he said by cellphone. "But it would have been a lot sweeter if we had a better season.

"It's cool, and I'm honored, but it's bittersweet.''

Wrenn said he is proud of how hard his teammates worked, how they supported him and how the team's many rookies handled a difficult season.

Wrenn debuted as a pro with the Aces in the 2012-13 season, when he also earned 22 games in the AHL. The San Jose Sharks second-round draft pick then played the next two seasons for Texas in the AHL – he won a Calder Cup in 2014 -- before returning to Anchorage to captain his hometown team. He played youth hockey for the LA Selects in California before playing at the University of Denver and for the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League.

Murray named Wrenn the Aces' captain just before the start of this season and said the defenseman has proved a strong leader.

"He's the type of captain that's not necessarily always vocal in the room, but when he does speak up, everyone perks up and pays attention,'' Murray said.

Shuffling the deck

The Aces on Thursday released goaltender Troy Redmann and defenseman Garrett Haar, both of whom recently were out of the lineup with upper-body injuries but have been cleared and were released.

Redmann went 15-20-4 with a 2.74 goals-against average and .906 save percentage, and was the club's starting goalie much of the season. Haar put up 2-12--14 totals and a minus-15 rating in 44 games.

The Aces also placed rookie center Ben Lake on the 21-day injured reserve with a lower-body injury.

Reach Doyle Woody at dwoody@alaskadispatch.com and follow him on Twitter at @JaromirBlagr

Doyle Woody

Doyle Woody covered hockey and other sports for the Anchorage Daily News for 34 years.

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