Capitols 18U goaltender Zinnen signs NAHL Tender

The NAPHL’s T1ER League is pleased to announce that Madison Capitols goaltender William Zinnen has signed a NAHL tender agreement for the 2025-26 season with the Minnesota Mallards of the NAHL’s Central Division.

Zinnen, 17, has spent two seasons playing in the T1ER league at the 16U and 18U levels with his hometown team, the Madison Capitols. After appearing in seven games during his 16U year, the 2007 netminder played in a total of eight games this season, including three games as his team made a run at the Dixon Cup Playoffs. 

He kicked off the 2024-25 campaign on a high note, posting a 15 save shutout over the Minnesota Grey Ducks. Another impressive showing from Zinnen came on February 2nd as he and his team defeated the Pittsburgh Stars 3-1. During that contest, he faced 32 shots, stopping 31 of them for a remarkable .969 save percentage.

Zinnen is the first player from Madison’s 18U team who has signed an NAHL tender agreement for the upcoming season.

Click here to see a list of T1ER tenders for the 2024-25 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 2025 NAHL Draft.