Pittsburgh, PA - The Esmark Stars AAA Hockey Club of the T1ER North American Prospects Hockey League have announced that Esmark Stars 18U AAA Hockey defenseman Mark Trischler has signed a North American Hockey League (NAHL) tender agreement with the Kenai River (AK) Brown Bears.

"Mark is a gifted player,” said Esmark 18U head coach Dave Kosick, “who matches his physical talent with a highly cerebral approach. He is an outstanding two-way defenseman who can both contribute in the offensive zone, while applying a solid defensive approach.”

The 18-year-old defenseman from Canonsburg, PA, recorded 14 points (2 goals and 12 assists), in 12 T1ER North American Prospects Hockey League regular season games and 5 Dixon Cup Playoff Games in helping lead the U18 Stars to the League's Regular Season and Playoff Championships.

Overall the 6'1" / 170 lbs. defenseman tallied 43 points (8 goals, 35 assists), including one power play goal, in 61 games played for Esmark's U18 AAA Midget Major squad.

He was also named to the 2024 NAT1HL U18 Top Prospects event and picked up an assist in that showcase event.

The 2023-24 season was Trischler’s third season with the Esmark Stars AAA Hockey program.

During the 2022-23 season, Trischler recorded 10 points (2 goals and 12 assists), in 12 T1ER North American Prospects Hockey League regular season games and 4 Dixon Cup Playoff Games for Esmark’s U18 squad.

Overall during the 2022-23 season, Trischler tallied 41 points (16 goals, 25 assists), including seven power play goals, in 70 games played for Esmark's U18 AAA Midget Major squad.

During the 2022-23 season, Trischler recorded 11 points (4 goals and 11 assists), including two power play goals, in 24 NAPHL North American Prospects Hockey League regular season games and Dixon Cup Playoff Games for Esmark’s U16 squad.

Overall during the 2022-23 season, Trischler tallied 19 points (4 goals, 15 assists), including two power play goals, in 53 games played for Esmark's U16 AAA Midget Minor squad.

“Mark is well respected within the locker room,” Kosick added. “Combining his leadership capabilities with his high hockey IQ and you get a kid with a maturity level off the charts, who is determined to succeed … all attributes that should help him succeed in Kenai River” 

Trischler becomes the ninth member of the 2023-2024 Esmark Stars AAA Hockey program to sign a tender with a Junior A club for the upcoming season.

Trischler joins 18U teammates Aiden Petroff (New Hampshire Mountain Kings), Alex Thomas (Colorado Grit), Timur Naletov (Danbury Hat Tricks), Max Rutkowski (Oklahoma Warriors) and Mykyta Yalovyi (Lone Star Brahmas), as well as 16U Esmark forwards Emmet McClaine and Vitaliy Ulianov, who both signed with the Johnstown Tomahawks, in signing tender agreements with the NAHL teams; and Hunter Furman, who signed a tender agreement with the Northern Cyclones National Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC) in the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL).

Kenai River is in the NAHL's eight-team Midwest Division along with the Anchorage Wolverines (AK), Janesville Jets (WI), Chippewa Steel (WI), Wisconsin Windego (WI), Minnesota Wilderness (MN), Fairbanks Ice Dogs (AK) and Springfield Jr Blues (IL).

The Brown Bears play in the Soldotna Regional sports Complex in Soldotna, AK, and are led by Head Coach Taylor Shaw.

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