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Eight seniors tendered with NAHL teams

By Craig Peterson, 03/16/18, 12:45PM EDT

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A growing number of NAHL teams targeting MI-HS players, continuing pipeline to junior hockey.

This season, eight MI-HS seniors have signed tender contracts with North American Hockey League (NAHL) organizations committing their rights to play junior hockey next season.

A tender is a contract, of sorts, a player signs announcing his intentions to play for a particular NAHL team. Once a player signs a tender with an NAHL team, his playing rights belong to that team within the NAHL and he may not be recruited by any other NAHL team or selected in the upcoming NAHL Draft. Each team is granted ten (10) tenders - plus or minus any trades - which become active on Nov. 1st of each year.

Tendered players are not guaranteed a roster spot for the following season but do earn an automatic invite to Main Camp in the Fall of the upcoming season. It is an opportunity for a player to solidify his future plans and the organization an opportunity to commit to the player without having to use a draft pick on them.

Here is the list of current MI-HS seniors with NAHL tenders:

Josh Albring, F, 1999, Hartland

After a third consecutive 50-point season and leading Hartland to its first state championship in program history, Albring earned himself a tender contract from Shreveport. The power forward was an integral part of the Eagles’ multifaceted offensive attack, totaling 67 goals and 204 points in his high school career. A heavy player with tremendous offensive zone awareness, Albring’s 6-foot-2, 185-pound frame affords him the size and strength to play at the junior level.

 

Jake Beaune, D, 2000, Livonia Stevenson

One of the leading scorers among defensemen in 2017-18, Beaune shined in his senior season by scoring 22 goals and 45 points in 28 games. The third-year senior got better with each passing game, reaching his peak late in the schedule by scoring seven goals and 18 points in the Spartans’ final six games before being eliminated in the D-II quarterfinals. Tendered with Aberdeen, the 6-foot-3, right-handed defenseman proved he can certainly play at a high level.

 

Sam Brennan, D, 2000, Brighton

Verbally committed to NCAA Air Force in the Fall, Brennan scored nine goals and 32 points in his fourth and final season with the Bulldogs. The 6-foot, 170-pound defenseman helped lead Brighton to its third consecutive Division-I Final Four this season, and a 24-6-1 record overall. Brennan was one of the most complete players in high school hockey in 2017-18, excelling at both ends of the rink and playing a pivotal role in the Bulldogs’ special teams. His NAHL rights belong to Lone Star for the 2018-19 season, and Brennan has been called up to join the Brahmas’ roster for the remainder of the current season.

 

Adam Conquest, F, 2000, Brighton

A year after being selected by Des Moines in the fifth round of the USHL Draft, Conquest returned for his senior season to lead the Bulldogs in scoring with 25 goals and 46 points in 27 games. The 6-foot forward is explosive in open ice and has next-level scoring ability with his overpowering shot. Conquest tendered with the Northeast Generals, which provides the 17-year-old with options in multiple leagues moving forward.

 

Julian Decina, F, 2000, Livonia Stevenson

A nagging injury cut Decina’s season short, as the second-year senior missed eight of the team’s last nine games of 2018. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound two-way forward scored nine goals and 30 points in 21 games and was one of the most dominant players in high school hockey before the injury. Decina tendered with Aberdeen, an organization with a deep-rooted history of committing to MI-HS players recently, as he joins a pipeline of names such as Adam Pitters (Grosse Pointe South, 2017), Zach Sprys-Tellner (Detroit Catholic Central, 2017), Jed Pietila (Hartland, 2017), and fellow teammate Jake Beaune, to join the Wings in the last 12 months.

 

Jordan Kovacs, D, 1999, De La Salle

After anchoring the Pilots to a Division-III state championship last season, Kovacs returned for a third season patrolling the blue line as one of the best defensemen in high school hockey. An offensive-minded D-man who is talented enough to engage on the rush while still maintaining defensive positioning, Kovacs led De La Salle in scoring with 14 goals and 32 points in 26 games. The 18-year-old, right-hand shot can lead an offensive surge on one end while negating odd-man rushes and scoring opportunities on the other end. Being overly active at both ends of the rink earned Kovacs a tender contract with the Minnesota Wilderness for next Fall.

 

Teddy Randell, F, 1999, Hancock

Creative with the puck and always looking to attack the net, Randell racked up 70 goals and 180 points during his four-year high school career. The speedy forward tendered with Lone Star in January and joined the team in March for the remainder of the 2018 season after Hancock was eliminated in the D-III state semifinal. Randell was a member of the 2016 Bulldogs squad that won a state title and three times in his career, was named an All-State forward.

 

Brendan West, F, 1999, Detroit Catholic Central

The best player on the best team in the state, West was spectacular this season. The 18-year-old goal scorer tendered with Minnesota before DCC’s season began but West scored 21 goals and 60 points while playing the most difficult schedule in high school hockey, only validating the Wilderness’ commitment to the 5-foot-8 forward. West is a special player with the puck, able to navigate through heavy traffic, maintaining possession and getting to high-percentage scoring areas. He went 18 consecutive games with a point before the Shamrocks’ 2-1 loss to Brighton in the D-I semifinal.

Other Notables:

Jordan Venegoni, F, 2000, Livonia Churchill

While he didn’t finish the season in MI-HS, Venegoni played nine games with the Chargers and scored 10 goals and 22 points in that time. The third-year senior tendered with Amarillo, a team that he played eight games with in 2017 before returning home to finish the season in Michigan.

Griffen Sanom, F, 2000, Orchard Lake St. Mary’s

The 5-foot-9, 154-pound forward played 25 games in the NAHL this season as a high school senior. Sanom played 54 games as a sophomore and junior for OLSM and made the HP-18 Team Michigan squad last Spring. Sanom played his way onto Brookings’ roster in the Fall and after scoring two goals and three points, the 17-year-old returned home to finish the season in Michigan.

Will Tragge, G, 2000, Livonia Stevenson

Called up to Corpus Christi in mid-March in an emergency backup role, Tragge was one of the best goaltenders in high school hockey this season. He won 21 games for the Spartans, leading the program to its fourth consecutive regional championship and finished with a .926 save percentage 2017-18, ranking among the top 10 in the state for a second straight season.