Pittsburgh, PA – The Pittsburgh Stars AAA Hockey Club of the Tier 1 Hockey Federation (THF) have announced that Esmark Stars 16U AAA Hockey defenseman Talan Del Signore has signed a North American Hockey League (NAHL) tender agreement with the Minnesota Wilderness.

“Talan is an extremely gifted player,” said Star’s U16 head coach, Yuri Krivokhija. “His skill set at his age is off the charts.”

The 17-year-old defenseman from Trafford, PA, recorded 11 points (4 goals and 7 assists), in 19 THF regular season appearances.

Overall the 5’8″ / 165 lbs. defenseman tallied 30 points (10 goals, 20 assists), including four power-play goals and one shorthanded goal, in 45 games played for the Star’s U16 AAA Midget Minor squad.

The 2023-24 season was Del Signore’s first season with the Esmark Stars AAA Hockey program.

“Talan has only truly begun to tap into his talent,” Krivokhija added. “It will be fun to see how he progresses.”

Del Signore becomes the 14th member of the 2023-2024 Esmark Stars AAA Hockey program to sign a tender or come to an agreement with a Junior A club for the upcoming season.

Del Signore 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, who all signed tender agreements with NAHL teams; Jackson Furman, who signed a tender agreement with the Northern Cyclones National Collegiate Development Conference (NCDC) in the United States Premier Hockey League (USPHL); Hudson Howard, who signed a tender agreement with the New Jersey 87s in the Eastern Junior Hockey League (EHL); and Carmen D’Ambrosio who signed a player agreement with the Florida Eels of the USPHL, in committing to a junior team for the upcoming 2024-25 season.

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

The Wilderness play in the Northwoods Credit Union Arena in Cloquet, Minnesota, and are led by Head Coach David Boitz.

As always, the Tier 1 Hockey Federation is committed to celebrating and supporting the success of talented young athletes. If you have a player whose achievements you would like to see featured in our announcements, please fill out the form here. We are eager to share the stories of these rising stars as they advance in their hockey careers.