Last season the Bismarck Bobcats prided themselves on being a blue-collar team. Nobody personified the style that served the Bobcats so well more than defenseman John Avino.

"In a nutshell, he's a simple player, and simple works," Bobcats coach Byron Pool said. "He's a perfect example of a Bobcat."

Avino is one of three returning blueliners competing for roster spots in the Bobcats' main tryout camp this weekend. The 20-year-old from Mount Prospect, Ill., finds Pool's defensive style a perfect fit.

"I'm a stay-at-home defenseman. I'm not really an offensive guy," Avino said. "… Coach Pool teaches defense first. When people come in our zone, we get the puck out. We always make the simple play, and try to make no costly mistakes. … There's not much secret to it."

Though Avino doesn't aspire to be the next Paul Coffey, he did spend much of his offseason trying to bolster his offensive skills. Last year he had two goals and eight assists in 51 games, numbers he would like to see improve.

"I've got a trainer that I set up with in Chicago," he said. "I worked a lot on my stride, getting quicker, my shot, my stickhandling and just being stronger. I want to contribute a little more offensively and be able to get some points."

Last year Avino made his contributions in other ways. He was strong in his own end, as evidenced by his plus-15 rating.

Avino was also one of the main reasons the Bobcats were considered the most physical team in the Central Division. Avino led the Bobcats with 125 penalty minutes - one more than Tony Turgeon. And he played much bigger than his 5-foot-11, 185-pound frame would indicate.

"I'm pretty aggressive. I like to go in the corners and mix it up," Avino said with a laugh. "I'm not the biggest guy, but Iplay as physical as I can.

"When Igo into the corners, I want that puck," he said. "… I have a temper, and that might play a little part in that."

Pool likes the edge Avino brings to the ice.

"When you play that hard, you get under people's skin," he said.

Avino made his Bismarck debut in December of 2007, getting a two-game tryout midseason. Although there was an outside chance he could have made the club for the second half of the season, the Bobcats wanted to get a closer look at what they considered a promising prospect.

Avino returned to the Dubuque Thunderbirds, helping them win a Central States Hockey League title, but both sides liked what they saw during his Bismarck audition. The following spring the Bobcats signed Avino to a tender agreement.

The Bobcats were coming off their worst season in 2007-08, but made a dramatic turnaround last season. Avino said it was no accident that most of Bismarck's new players had come from winning backgrounds.

"It makes a difference, because you have that winning mentality," he said. "Guys know the work that has to go into it to be a winning team."

Avino and the other Bobcat veterans have that experience on the NAHL level, and they're going to do their best to make sure it rubs off on the newcomers.

"We've got a great group of veterans, and I think we'll help lead the team well," Avino said. "We're coming off a great season, and we want to make sure the new guys come on board. We're not going to let the rookies hold us back."