More than 10 years have passed since Jason Ryznar left Anchorage as a 16-year-old to pursue his hockey dreams, so he finds it both strange and exciting to be haunting local rinks again.

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Jason Ryznar

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Ryznar, 26, is back to play for the ECHL's Alaska Aces, coming full circle after a decade Outside. That journey took him to USA Hockey's national program in Ann Arbor, Mich., the University of Michigan for four seasons of college hockey in Ann Arbor, four seasons mostly in the American Hockey League and eight games in the NHL.

Friday, the left winger suited up inside the Aces' locker room at Sullivan Arena, put on his skate guards and walked over to Ben Boeke Arena for the club's first practice of training camp.

"It's almost surreal being back and playing in rinks you grew up in, and with a team you grew up watching, the Aces of the '90s with Dean Larson and Keith Street,'' Ryznar said. "Every Alaskan who plays hockey at some point in their career thinks of playing here.''

The back of the Aces' training camp T-shirt reads "Mission: Unfinished Business'' -- that's a reference to their Game 7 loss to the South Carolina Stingrays in the Kelly Cup Finals -- and it's also a fitting motto for Ryznar.

The 6-foot-3, 200-pounder, who played eight games for the NHL's New Jersey Devils in 2005-06, has been cast as a checking forward and penalty-killing specialist in his pro career. But Aces first-year coach Brent Thompson believes Ryznar is capable of more than just defense at this level.

"I envision Jason Ryznar as, really, the replacement for Cam Keith (departed to Italy),'' Thompson said. "He's going to be our prototypical power forward. It's him re-establishing himself as a top two-line hockey player.''

Sounds sweet to Ryznar, who last season scored four goals and six points in 77 games for AHL Houston.

"I've always been tagged as a defensive player, which I enjoy because it's important,'' he said. "This could be a new start, be more of a two-way player.''

Ryznar, the former Service High and Alaska All Stars skater who owns a home in Chugiak, attended training camp with AHL Peoria, Alaska's affiliate, before hooking up with the Aces.

"Camp went well,'' Ryznar said. "I don't think anyone wants to be sent down, but I look at it as a positive experience, coming home and playing for this team.''

A couple of seasons ago, Ryznar endured a frightening on-ice accident. Playing for AHL Lowell, an opponent's skate inadvertently slammed him in the right cheek, just below his eye. The blow caused multiple fractures and a cut that required more than 40 stitches to close, and prompted surgery.

"That was a scary deal, pretty close to my eye,'' Ryznar said.

Ryznar said he was a little hesitant coming back from that injury, but regained his confidence soon enough and again became comfortable on the ice.

Now, after 10 years away from Anchorage, with the exception of returning to town for summers, he's back in the comfort of home.

Shuffling the deck

Ryznar's arrival comes with a bonus. Not only does he have vast experience in leagues above the ECHL, but with 254 regular-season pro games, he doesn't count as a "veteran.''

In the ECHL, skaters who enter the season with 260 or more regular-season games of pro experience are counted as "veterans,'' and each team is limited to a maximum of four veterans. With three veterans on board -- captain Scott Burt, winger Lance Galbraith and defenseman Derick Martin -- the Aces still have room for one more veteran.

Find Doyle Woody's blog online at adn.com/hockeyblog or call him at 257-4335.

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