The Esmark Stars of the North American Prospects Hockey League (NAPHL) are pleased to announce that 18U defenseman Blake Rossi has signed a North American Hockey League (NAHL) tender agreement with the Amarillo Bulls of the NAHL’s South Division.

Rossi, 18, is in his second season playing in the NAPHL for Esmark, has recorded 12 points (5 goals, 7 assists) in 17 overall NAPHL games this season, helping lead the Stars into the NAPHL Playoffs and pursuit of the league's Dixon Cup.

Overall, the 6’0" / 160 lbs. native of Youngstown, PA, has recorded 29 points (13 goals, 16 assists) in 44 games, including 5 power play goals, for the Stars U18 AAA team.

His tender signing comes right after his appearance in the 2017-18 NAPHL 18U All-Star Game, where he played for the South 18U All-Stars.

Last season, Rossi helped lead the 16U Esmark Stars team to their first Dixon Cup Championship , where he recorded seven points in 22 regular season games.

He is the third player from this year’s Esmark Stars 18U team who has signed an NAHL tender agreement, joining Parker Brown (Fairbanks) and Ethan Webb (Johnstown).

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 NAPHL - plus or minus any trades - which became active on Nov. 1. Tendered players are not eligible for the NAHL draft, which will be held on June 5, 2018.