Kevin Reiter blew into town Friday afternoon for a quick work visit, and that's the drill for the former UAA goaltender — he is often on the move, like a goalie under siege going post-to-post and back.
Reiter is the goaltending coach in USA Hockey's Michigan-based National Team Development Program. He not only works with goalies in the Under-18 and Under-17 national teams in practices and in competitions both domestic and foreign, he also scours the country for the best young prospects.
He figures he's on the road 160 nights a year.
Reiter, 35, came to town to work with a pair of 15-year-old goalies — Isaiah Saville and Trent Burnham – under consideration for invitations to a 50-player camp next month that will help determine next season's U-17 national team.
"Two very talented goaltenders, from what I've seen and what I've heard,'' Reiter said.
He saw both Saville and Burnham at USA Hockey's Select 15 Festival last summer in Amherst, New York. Friday afternoon at UAA, Reiter put Saville and Burnham through their paces in drills — local players and Reiter's old goaltending partner at UAA from 2000-2004, Chris King, helped out.
"I'm looking for the best two (2000 birth year) goalies in the country,'' Reiter said. "I don't want to say it's a tryout — there's obviously competition — because it's also about getting to know these guys too.''
Saville as a freshman for West High last week backstopped the Eagles to their second straight state championship. Burnham, a sophomore, helped Eagle River reach the state tournament for the first time in school history and backstopped a first-round upset of West Valley.
Saville plays competition hockey for the North Stars, where King is his goalie coach. Burnham plays comp for the Alaska Oilers, where former UAF goalie Wylie Rogers works with him.
Reiter, who played seven seasons of minor-league and international pro hockey after UAA, is married — he and wife Tricia have a daughter, Alessia, who turns 3 next month.
Reiter takes into account more than simply pure talent in deciding which five or six goaltenders from across the nation will be invited to next month's 50-player camp. There are academics to consider (minimum 2.5 grade-point average), and maturity and character.
"Are they going to work hard?'' Reiter asked. "Are they going to be a good teammate? Are they good enough students? Do they give us a chance to win in the USHL and win internationally?''
Naturally, talent is a significant consideration, as is potential.
"For me, you have to be able to skate well and move around the net because the game is so fast now,'' Reiter said. "Obviously, athleticism is a big part of the game. I look at competitiveness — a guy who hates to get scored on.''
Reach Doyle Woody at dwoody@alaskadispatch.com, check out his blog at adn.com/hockeyblog and follow him on Twitter at @JaromirBlagr