25 NA3HL Players Secured Tenders to NAHL Teams for the 2026-27 Season
As the NA3HL gears up for the 2026-27 season, players from this past year have signed tenders to the NAHL. With 25 NA3HL players signing tenders to the League of Opportunity, read more about their impressive performances from the 2025-26 season.
Granite City Lumberjacks
Ty Smith, F, Anchorage Wolverines - The 5-foot-11 righty from Chaska, Minnesota, Smith delivered night after night for the Lumberjacks. This season, the second-year veteran scored 85 points in the regular season, tallying 43 goals and 42 assists in just 42 games played. He averaged two points per game for Granite City. This year, Smith tallied 13 goals on the man advantage while delivering 10 game-winning goals for his team. His play-making was crucial all season long for Granite City, and Smith’s ability to help prevent the opposing team from scoring while on the ice was crucial as well. He featured a +52 rating during the regular season for the West Division team. His work on the ice earned him the recognition as the NA3HL’s Most Valuable Player and Forward of the Year titles.
Garrett Plaude, F, Watertown Shamrocks - Hailing from Maple Grove, Minnesota, Plaude registered over a point per game with Granite City this season. The 6-foot-2 lefty tallied 21 goals and 17 assists in 36 games played during the regular season. Two of those tallies were named game-winning goals, with two scored on the man advantage. His offensive prowess carried into the postseason, where the ‘06 skater registered four goals and two assists in nine games played during the Fraser Cup playoffs. His play-making caught the attention of the Shamrocks, earning him a tender.
Tyler Starich, F, Rochester Jr. Americans - As a midseason acquisition for the Lumberjacks, the Eau Claire, Wisconsin native registered 38 points in 27 games played in the NA3HL during the regular season. He started his season with the Minnesota Wilderness’ NA3HL team, spotlighting 11 goals and 12 assists in his 14 games played with the team. He was then acquired by Granite City in January and brought his offensive edge to the Lumberjacks. The 5-foot-9 forward featured 15 points in 13 regular season games with Granite City. In the postseason, Starich was just as offensively lethal, scoring six points in nine games played in the Fraser Cup playoffs.
Louisiana Drillers
Emerson LaRoche, F, Shreveport Mudbugs - The 5-foot-10 lefty from the State of Hockey, LaRoche, has dominated on the ice in his rookie season with the Drillers. LaRoche laced up in 47 regular season games for Louisiana and featured 127 points in the regular season. The ‘07 forward tallied 55 goals while notching 72 assists in his first season. He ranked third overall on the Drillers with his 55 goals and 127 points. He featured five game-winning goals in that span. In the playoffs, the Minnetonka, Minnesota, native featured 14 postseason points, scoring three goals while making 11 assists. LaRoche was the first NA3HL player to secure a tender this season, earning an opportunity with the Shreveport Mudbugs.
Brayden Pelcl, F, Bismarck Bobcats - The ‘07 forward from Minnesota, Pelcl, showcased an offensively dominant season in the NA3HL. The 5-foot-10 righty just wrapped up his rookie season with the Louisiana Drillers. He hit the ice in 47 regular season games, registering 125 points. Pelcl scored 44 goals while making 81 assists. Nine of his tallies were scored on the man advantage, while eight goals were named the decider in contests during the regular season. In the postseason, Pelcl continued to showcase his offensive prowess. In eight playoff games, the 19-year-old registered 10 points, finding twine four times while making six assists.
Jack Slotka, D, Maryland Black Bears - The first-year defenseman from Michigan, Slotka, played a big role from the blue line, scoring 60 points in 42 regular season games. The 6-foot-1 righty found twine nine times from the blue line while tallying 51 assists. One of his nine goals was named a decider in a contest. Slotka’s ability on the ice earned him the recognition as a Top Prospect for the 2026 NA3HL Top Prospects Tournament. He was named to the Gold roster at the yearly event. In the postseason with the Drillers, the ‘06 defenseman featured 12 points in eight postseason games. He scored four goals and notched eight assists in that span. Prior to skating with the Drillers, Slotka played in the T1ER with Biggby Coffee.
Trent LaRoche, D, New Hampshire Mountain Kings - The ‘08 blueliner from the State of Hockey, LaRoche, finished out the 2025-26 season with the Louisiana Drillers in the postseason. The 6-foot-4 righty just wrapped up his senior season with Minnetonka High School. Following his final year of high school hockey, he played in eight postseason games for the Drillers. The 18-year-old featured seven points, tallying three goals while making four assists for the Southeast Division team. LaRoche joined his older brother, Emerson, during the Drillers’ playoff push.
Minnesota Moose
Gabe Otis, G, St. Cloud Norsemen - The ‘06 netminder from Lakeville, Minnesota, Otis, just wrapped up his second season in the NA3HL. The 5-foot-10 goaltender played in 32 regular season games this year for the Moose, spotlighting 22 wins in the blue paint. Otis featured a .930 save percentage and a 2.27 goals-against average in his second season. In the 2025-26 regular season, Otis notched four shutouts for the Minnesota-based team. Last year, the Minnesota native started his year with the Rochester Grizzlies. He played in net for six games, earning four wins for the Grizzlies. He featured a .940 save percentage and 1.50 goals-against average. Later on in the year, Otis was acquired by the Moose, where he played in the crease for seven games. He secured a .914 save percentage and 2.29 goals-against average in that span.
Caleb Schwark, D, Aberdeen Wings - The 6-foot-3 lefty from Blaine, Minnesota, Schwark played a big role for the Moose from the blue line. The ‘07 skater played in 41 regular season games for the Minnesota team, registering 15 points in his rookie season. The defenseman from the State of Hockey scored seven goals while notching eight assists for his team. Three of his tallies were named deciders in contests. Schwark featured three two-point games this season and earned a tender with the Aberdeen Wings in January. In the Fraser Cup playoffs, the 19-year-old laced up in three games for the Moose and produced two assists.
George Ericson, D, Johnstown Tomahawks - Leading the way for blueliners on his team, Ericson featured a 26-point rookie season for the Minnesota Moose. The 6-foot-2 righty hails from Wayzata, Minnesota, and is in his first season of playing junior hockey. The ‘07 skater laced up in 45 regular season games, leading blueliners on his team with nine goals while ranking second on the Moose with 17 assists. His offensive prowess as a defenseman ranked him first overall with his 26 points on the year. In addition to his scoring from the blue line, two of his tallies were game-winners, and two were scored on the man advantage. In the postseason, the State of Hockey skater hit the ice in three games for the Moose, registering three assists. His work on the ice earned him weekend callups to the Minnesota Mallards in the NAHL. He played three games with the Forest Lake, Minnesota, team and earned his first NAHL point with an assist.
New Mexico Ice Wolves
Brock Seeger, D, New Mexico Ice Wolves - The 5-foot-11 Minnesota native will not head far next season, as Seeger has earned a tender to the NAHL’s New Mexico Ice Wolves team. The ‘06 skater just wrapped up his rookie year with the Ice Wolves. He played in 44 games for New Mexico during the regular season and skated away with 37 points. The State of Hockey defenseman led blueliners on his roster in every offensive category. He scored nine goals while notching 28 assists. His offensive prowess from the blue line spotlighted the 19-year-old, featuring four game-winning goals and four power-play tallies. His play-making featured Seeger, also recording a +33 rating from the regular season. His work on the ice earned the rookie recognition as a member of the All-South Division team in the NA3HL’s yearly awards. His scoring and play-making ways continued to the postseason, recording three points in the three games played. Seeger scored a goal and made an assist for the Ice Wolves.
Josh Middleton, G, Minot Minotauros - The ‘06 netminder, featuring a strong rookie season, Middleton earned a tender with the Minot Minotauros in the Central Division. Middleton played in the crease for the Ice Wolves in 22 games during the regular season. He featured a .935 save percentage and 2.04 goals-against average in that span. He produced an impressive six shutouts during his tenure in net for New Mexico, earning the team 15 wins. Every regular season shutout came in back-to-back fashion for the Minnesota native. His work on the ice earned him recognition on a division and league level. Middleton was a two-time South Division Star of the Week winner and was named as the runner-up for Goaltender of the Month in October. His work in the crease named the St. Louis Park, Minnesota native as a Top Prospect at the 2026 Top Prospects Tournament. He was a member of the Gold team at the annual event.
Texas Brahmas
Gavin Erickson, G, New Jersey Titans - Hailing from Fargo, North Dakota, and making an impact in his first season in the NA3HL, Gavin Erickson goes home with the Rookie of the Year honors with his work in the crease all season long for the Texas Brahmas. The 6-foot-1 netminder featured an impressive 1.92 goals-against average and .938 save percentage in the regular season. Night after night, Erickson backstopped the Brahmas, lifting his team to 22 victories in his 29 games played. In addition, the ‘07 goaltender featured three shutout performances in his debut season. The North Dakota native wrapped up the regular season with Goaltender of the Month honors in February. Erickson faced heavy volume throughout the month, seeing 247 shots and turning aside 231 for a .940 save percentage and a 2.26 goals-against average. In the playoffs, Erickson notched four wins in his six games played before heading to St. Louis, Missouri. Three of those victories came in extra minutes, helping to punch the Brahmas a ticket to the Show-Me State. He featured an impressive 1.77 goals-against average and a .934 save percentage in that span.
Eric Alexander, D, Lone Star Brahmas - The 6-foot blueliner from Michigan laced up for 11 games across the regular season and postseason for the Brahmas. Alexander is a 19-year-old rookie for Texas. In his tenure with the NA3HL team, the 6-foot lefty scored a goal and made three assists. Alexander played a role for the Brahmas at the Fraser Cup, notching three points in St. Louis, Missouri. He was named to the All-Tournament Team at the 2026 Fraser Cup Championship.
Alexandria Blizzard
Grady Stallman, F, Minnesota Mallards - Playing for his hometown team in Alexandria, Stallman featured an offensively dominant season for the Blizzard. The ‘06 skater is in his first season playing in the NA3HL. The 6-foot lefty tore it up in the West Division, registering 69 points in 45 games played during the regular season. Stallman ranked third on his roster with 28 goals, 41 assists, and 69 total points. His offensive prowess was the decider on a handful of occasions, scoring six goals in game-winning fashion for the Blizzard. In addition, the State of Hockey skater found twine five times on the man advantage while scoring three shorthanded goals. The 19-year-old earned recognition at a divisional level this season, being named a West Division Star of the Week early in his NA3HL campaign. Out of his 45 regular season games, Stallman showed up on the scoresheet in 35 of them. 23 of those games were multi-point contests for the ‘06 forward. His season-high came in the third game of the year, scoring five goals and making an assist against the Minnesota Wilderness.
Bayou State Rougarou
Denis Portnoy, F, Northeast Generals - Leading the Rougarou with a staggering 2.54 points per game, Portnoy showed up big on the scoresheet night after night for Bayou State. Portnoy is a first-year NA3HL skater from King City, Ontario. The two-time Southeast Division Star of the Week played was an offensive force. The 5-foot-10 righty scored 34 goals and made 27 assists in just 24 games played. He ranked second on his team with his goal-scoring and second overall on the Rougarou with 61 points on the season. His skill set on the man advantage showcased the 17-year-old scoring seven power-play tallies. In addition, three of his goals were named deciders in contests this year. Out of the 24 regular season games, Portnoy showed up on the scoresheet in 19 of them. His scoring ways also showcased the ‘08 skater registering 14 multi-point contests.
Mason City Toros
Luke Gustafson, F, Houston Bulls - The captain of the Toros featured an offensively dominant season for Mason City this season. Gustafson played a big role on the scoring side for the West Division team. The 6-foot lefty scored 20 goals and made 29 assists during the 2025-26 regular season. His offensive prowess ranked him second on his roster with 49 points and first with 29 assists. The San Jose, California, native notched two goals this season on the man advantage and three tallies shorthanded. In the postseason, Gustafson played in two games for the Toros. He scored a goal and made an assist for Mason City. The forward from California had 11 multi-point contests in his first full season of the NA3HL.
Rochester Grizzlies
Brett Ludvigsen, F, Austin Bruins - The 5-foot-9 skater from Kasson, Minnesota, Ludvigsen played a key play-making role for the Grizzlies in his rookie season. The 19-year-old was drafted by Rochester in the 2025 NA3HL Entry Draft. He was drafted in the first round, 29th overall, by the Minnesota-based team. Ludvigsen featured 49 points in his 38 games played during the regular season. The ‘06 forward scored 14 goals during his 2025-26 campaign, while ranking second overall on his team with 35 assists. His offensive prowess, night after night, notched the rookie 1.29 points per game. The State of Hockey skater scored four goals on the man advantage and tallied two game-winning goals. Out of his 38 regular season games, Ludvigsen showed up on the scoresheet in 28 of them. Over half of those games were multi-point affairs for the first-year skater. In the postseason, the 5-foot-9 forward featured 12 points in eight playoff games. He found twine three times while notching nine assists in that span.
Sheridan Hawks
Wyatt Knott, G, Amarillo Wranglers - The 6-foot-3 netminder from the State of Hockey, Knott, has wrangled up a tender to Amarillo in the South Division. The 19-year-old just wrapped up his first season of junior hockey. Knott played in 14 games in the crease for the Hawks. The Rogers, Minnesota, native featured a .932 save percentage and 2.18 goals-against average. Three of his wins came in shutout fashion by the ‘07 goaltender. His season-high shutout performance was a 38-save performance against the Bozeman Icedogs in January.
Wausau Cyclones
Jackson Schroeder, F, Fairbanks Ice Dogs - Leading the offense in every category for the Cyclones this season, Schroeder dominated on the ice in his rookie season. The 5-foot-8 forward from Stevens Point, Wisconsin, the 18-year-old exploded on the scoresheet, featuring a team-leading 28 goals, 36 assists, and 64 points on the season. Three of his goals during the regular season were game-winning tallies, while four were scored on the man advantage. In addition, Schroeder featured 1.42 points per game in his first season in the NA3HL. In his 45 regular season games, the Wisconsin native was on 36 of those contest scoresheets, with 20 of those games being a multi-point night. His work on the ice earned him recognition as a Central Division Star of the Week on three occasions.
West Bend Power
Blake Kohnen, F, Wisconsin Windigo - Hailing from Woodbury, Minnesota, Kohnen made an impact on the ice for the Power in his rookie season. The 5-foot-10 lefty laced up for West Bend in 41 regular season games. The ‘07 skater scored 16 goals and notched 32 assists over that span. One of his tallies was named a decider in a contest with five goals scored on the man advantage. His work on the ice was consistent for West Bend. Kohnen showed up on the scoresheet in 33 out of the 41 games he played during the regular season. In addition to his offensive prowess night after night, the 18-year-old featured a +33 rating on the year. The Wisconsin Windigo called up the Minnesota native in December for a weekend set against the Minnesota Wilderness. During the postseason, the ‘07 forward laced up in five games for the Power and notched an assist in that span.
El Paso Rhinos
Evan White, D, El Paso Rhinos - The 19-year-old from Lincoln Park, Michigan, White played in 11 regular season games for the Rhinos from the blue line. The 5-foot-10 defenseman scored three goals while making two assists in his tenure during the regular season. White went on to play in three postseason games for the Rhinos, notching an assist for the team from the Sun City.
Carolina Rage
Dawson Anderson, F, Maine Nordiques - Playing for the NA3HL team from his home state, Anderson made a big impact in his short stint for the Rage. The ‘06 skater hit the ice in four games for Carolina, spotlighting 14 points in the regular season. The 19-year-old scored six goals and made eight assists in that span. His scoring ways at critical points in the game secured the ‘06 skater two game-winning goals.
Minnesota Wilderness
Cayden Neice, D, Minnesota Wilderness - Hailing from Prosper, Texas, Niece is a first-year skater in the NA3HL. The 18-year-old spent a short stint in the NA3HL playing two games for the Wilderness.
New Jersey Titans
Josh Bostedo, D, New Jersey Titans - The 5-foot-9 skater from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Bostedo played in one game for the Titans this season.
A tender is a contract, of sorts, a player signs announcing his intentions to play for that particular NAHL team and that NAHL team only. 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.
