ORONO, Maine — The weekend University of Maine hockey series was a homecoming of sorts for former UMaine hard-nosed winger Barrett Heisten, a volunteer assistant coach for Alaska-Anchorage.
Heisten, a native of Anchorage, played on Maine’s last NCAA championship team in 1998-99, notching 12 goals and 16 assists in 34 games. That was his freshman season, and he had 13 goals and 24 assists in 37 games the following year before signing a pro contract.
“It was pretty funny walking in the building again. It had the same smell … a good smell. When I was on the bench on Friday night, I got a little emotional,” said the 34-year-old Heisten. “It was two of the best years of my life. Playing for [the late Shawn Walsh] and [former assistant Grant Standbrook] was a special time. The guys on our team ask me how it was winning a national championship. I tried to capture it in words, but you just can’t.”
Heisten married Courtney Good from Houlton, and they return to Aroostook County every summer with their two boys: 4-year-old Bodie and 2-year-old Jackson.
The 1998-99 championship team is going to be honored at the Boston University game on Nov. 14, but Heisten won’t be able to make it.
Heisten is a coaching director for youth hockey in Anchorage, which has 700 children involved in it.
“I work with coaches and players. I try to find different ways to teach and develop them,” said Heisten. “It’s fun, and I also love working with the college players. With the little kids, I’m getting them upright and teaching them how to skate and with the college guys. They have good skill sets, and if you tell them something once, they pick up on it.”
Heisten said he is grateful to UAA head coach and former Maine assistant Matt Thomas for giving him an opportunity to work with the team, and Thomas said Heisten has been a valuable asset working with the forwards.
Heisten is one of several former Black Bears living in Alaska. The others include his brother, Chris, Gray Shaneberger, Campbell Blair and Tony Link. Blair was a former UMaine and UAA assistant who is following a career in law enforcement.