Springfield, Illinois – The Springfield Jr. Blues, proud members of the North American Hockey League (NAHL), are pleased to announce that we have signed seven players to round out our 2021-22 Tender Class! Please help us welcome Hunter Fairman, Jagur McClelland, Nikita Nikora, Tucker Skime, Jackson Truchan, Justin Kingery, and Tyler Bishop!
Fairman played this past season for the Esmark Stars 18U AAA team and in 82 combined games between the NAPHL and 18U AAA, he scored 60 goals and 45 assists. The Pittsburgh, PA native also played three seasons at Jefferson High School where he tallied 61 goals and 72 assists in 49 games played (7th All-Time in Goals, 3rd in Assists, 5th in Points).
McClelland played this past season for both the Philadelphia Jr. Flyers and Haverford High School (PA). In 26 games between the AYHL and T1EHL for the Flyers he had 5 goals and 3 assists, while in 9 USHS-PA games for Haverford he put up 12 goals and 20 assists. He led his high school in all major offensive categories this season and ranks 2nd All-Time in Goals (55), Assists (66), and Points (121).
Nikora played this past season for Avons Old Farms School where he recorded 3 goals and 10 assists in 23 games played. Prior to his time at Avon, the young man from St. Petersburg, Russia played three seasons in the Notre Dame Hounds AAA organization. He is currently committed to Dartmouth University.
Skime suited up this past season for the Granite City Lumberjacks (NA3HL) where he appeared in 46 games, scoring 22 goals and 29 assists with a +48 rating. In two seasons with the ‘Jacks he tallied 33 goals and 39 assists in 78 games while helping them to the Fraser Cup Finals. Prior to juniors he appeared in 92 USHS-MN games between Lakeville South and Thief River Falls where he totaled 30 goals and 63 assists.
Truchan appeared in 66 games this past season for the Main Nordiques Academy (NAPHL) and led his team in scoring with 31 goals and 49 assists. A native of Farmington Hills, MI, Jackson played for Victory Honda and Compuware where he was teammates with fellow tender Hadley Hudak. In 116 18U AAA games under his belt, he has totaled 52 goals, 72 assists, and a +59 rating overall.
Kingery split this past season between the Fairbanks Ice Dogs 18U AAA (NAPHL) and Prior Lake High (USHS-MN). In 8 games with the Ice Dogs the Prior Lake, MN product had 13 assists, while in 31 games with the Lakers he had 10 goals and 9 assists en route to a semifinal appearance in the state tournament.
Bishop, our final signee, just concluded his high school career at White Bear Lake High School where he was Captain his senior season. In 26 games this past season the White Bear Lake native had 19 goals and 19 assists, and leaves Minnesota High School Hockey with 31 goals and 35 assists in 69 career appearances.
These seven young men join an already strong class of tenders that we are very excited about. With the 2021-22 seasons in the past, it’s only fair that we update everyone on how our previously signed tenders finished up this past season. We’ll start with the big guy – forward Hadley Hudak!
Hudak, a native of Canton, MI, played for Victory Honda 18U AAA before making his Jr. Blues debut in March. He appeared in 75 games for Victory Honda between T1EHL and 18U AAA seasons where he registered 21 goals, 33 assists, and 174 penalty minutes. Hadley made a splash – or more appropriately a bang – when he joined the team in March by utilizing his size, strength and hockey IQ. He wrapped up his first taste of junior hockey by recording his first goal and assist in 10 games played.
Our next update is on Alexander Fendler, a forward out of the St. Louis AAA Blues and St. John Vianney (USHS-MO) programs. The St. Louis, MO native recorded 8 goals and 13 assists for the AAA Blues 18U team, while also notching 16 goals and 12 assists for the Griffins in 12 games. Fendler helped lead the AAA Blues to the 18U National Championship Game this season and was also a part of St. John Vianney’s Midstate Championship in 2020.
Scott Miner, our final update this morning, is a defenseman out of Winnipeg, MB, Canada who played this prior season for the Colorado Thunderbirds 16U AAA team. In 81 combined games between the T1EHL & 16U AAA seasons, Miner collected 21 goals, 65 assists, and a +48 rating. He finished the season with the most points by a defenseman (20) in the T1EHL 16U AAA division.
Congratulations to all of these young men for their hard work this past season and we look forward to seeing you at camp in July!
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.Tendered players are not eligible for the NAHL draft, which is held each year in the summer.
