Pittsburgh, PA – The Pittsburgh Stars AAA Hockey Club of the Tier 1 Hockey Federation (THF) have announced that Esmark Stars 18U AAA Hockey forward Jacob Stock has signed a North American Hockey League (NAHL) tender agreement with the Watertown Shamrocks.
“Jacob is one of those players with an instinct to be in the right place at the right time,” said Star’s U18 head coach, Dave Kosick.
“He is a crafty and gifted offensive player who can score goals … in a variety of situations … while also getting under the skin of and creating chaos for an opponent.”
The 18-year-old forward from Clairton, PA, recorded 12 points (7 goals and 5 assists), in 27 THF regular season games and playoff games in helping lead the U18 Stars to the THF League Playoff Championship Game.
Overall, the 5’10” / 150 lbs. forward tallied 47 points (22 goals, 25 assists), including two power-play goals, in 68 games played for the Star’s U18 AAA Midget Major squad.
The 2023-24 season was Stock’s second season with the Esmark Stars AAA Hockey program.
During the 2022-23 season, Stock recorded 9 points (4 goals and 5 assists), in 14 THF regular season and playoff games for Esmark’s U16 squad.
Overall during the 2022-23 season, Stock tallied 57 points (31 goals, 26 assists), including one (1) power play goal and five (5) shorthanded goal, in 65 games played for Esmark’s U16 AAA Midget Major squad.
“As this will be the Shamrocks inaugural season, Jacob has an opportunity from the beginning to establish a role with them,” Kosick added. “He is the style of player all teams are seeking … an agitator who can put up points.”
Stock becomes the 13th 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.
Stock joins 18U teammates Nathan Burlando (Minnesota Mallards), Mark Trischler (Kenai River Brown Bears), 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, 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 Shamrocks will join the NAHL’s eight-team Central Division along with the Aberdeen Wings (SD), Austin Bruins (MN), Bismarck Bobcats (ND), Minnesota Mallards, Minot Minotauros (ND), North Iowa Bulls (IA), St. Cloud Norseman (MN) and Watertown Shamrocks (SD).
The 2024-25 season will be the inaugural season in the NAHL for the Shamrocks, along with their fellow Central Division opponent Minnesota Mallards.
The Mallards will play in the new Prairie Lakes Ice Arena in Watertown, South Dakota, and are led by Head Coach Casey Kirley.
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