Esmark 18U forward Furman signs NAHL Tender

The Pittsburgh Stars AAA Hockey Club of the T1ER North American Prospects Hockey League have announced that Esmark Stars 18U AAA Hockey forward Jackson Furman has signed a North American Hockey League (NAHL) tender agreement with the Minnesota Mallards.

The 18-year-old forward from Westerville, OH, recorded seven points (3 goals and 4 assists), in 12 T1ER North American Prospects Hockey League regular season games and five Dixon Cup Playoff Games in helping lead the U18 Stars to the League's Regular Season Crown and Dixon Cup Playoff Championships.

Overall, the 5'11" / 170 lbs. forward tallied 46 points (15 goals, 31 assists), including one power play goal and two game-winning goals, in 68 games played for Esmark's U18 AAA Midget Major squad.

The 2023-24 season was Furman’s second season with the Esmark Stars program. During the 2022-23 season, Furman recorded 15 points (10 goals and 5 assists), in 12 T1ER North American Prospects Hockey League regular season games and 4 Dixon Cup Playoff Games.

Overall during the ’22-’23 campaign, Furman tallied 35 points (17 goals, 18 assists), including two power play goals, in 62 games played for Esmark's U18 AAA Midget Major squad.

"Jackson is a true Swiss Army knife,” said Stars 18U head coach Dave Kosick. "His skill set and on-ice compete level allowed us to use him in all settings … from special teams (penalty kill and power play) to end-of-game scenarios. He brings a tenacity and desire to succeed to each game and practice that will not allow him to be outworked. The combination of this drive and his skill set is what created this Junior opportunity and positions him for success at the next level."

Furman is one of 14 players from the 2023-24 Esmark Stars to sign a tender or come to an agreement with a Junior A club for the upcoming season, as he joins 18U teammates Nathan Burlando (Minnesota Mallards), Timur Naletov (Danbury Hat Tricks), Aiden Petroff (New Hampshire Mountain Kings), Max Rutkowski (Oklahoma Warriors), Jacob Stock (Watertown Shamrocks), Alex Thomas (Colorado Grit), Mark Trischler (Kenai River Brown Bears), and Mykyta Yalovyi (Lone Star Brahmas), as well as 16U Esmark forwards Emmet McClaine and Vitaliy Ulianov, who both signed with the Johnstown Tomahawks, and defenseman Talon Del Signore, who also signed with the Minnesota Mallards, who all signed tender agreements with NAHL teams.

The Mallards will join the NAHL's eight-team Central Division along with the Aberdeen Wings (SD), Austin Bruins (MN), Bismarck Bobcats (ND), Minot Minotauros (ND), North Iowa Bulls (IA), St. Cloud Norseman (MN) and Watertown Shamrocks (SD).

The 2024-25 season will be the inaugural season in the NAHL for the Mallards, along with their fellow Central Division opponent Watertown Shamrocks. The Mallards will play in the Forest Lake Sports Center in Forest Lake, MN, and are led by Head Coach Terry Watt.

Click here to see a list of T1ER tenders for the 2023-24 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. Each team is granted ten (10) tenders, which include two (2) tenders exclusively used on players from the T1ER - plus or minus any trades - which became active on November 1st. Tendered players are not eligible for the 2024 NAHL Draft.