Esmark 18U forward Pazo signs NAHL tender

The Esmark Stars AAA Hockey Club of the North American Prospects Hockey League (NAPHL) are pleased to announce that 18U forward Edward Pazo has signed a North American Hockey League (NAHL) tender agreement with the Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks of the NAHL’s East Division

A native of Jefferson Hills, PA, the 17-year old junior at Thomas Jefferson High School has skated for the Stars for a pair of seasons.

During the 2019-20 season, Pazo (6'3", 200 lbs.) registered 17 points (6 goals, 11 assists) in 16 regular season NAPHL games and 7 points (2 goals, 5 assists) in five NAPHL Dixon Cup Playoff games for the U18 AAA Stars. Overall, Pazo registered 92 points (33 goals, 59 assists), including 13 power play goals and a +57 plus/minus rating on the season in 62 games played, helping lead Esmark’s Midget Major squad to the Mid-American District Championship and a spot as District Champions in the 2020 USA Hockey 18U Tier I National Championships.

During the 2018-19 season, Pazo registered 16 points (6 goals, 6 assists), including 3 power play goals, in 15 NAPHL regular season games and 7 points (1 goal, 6 assist) in four NAPHL Dixon Cup Playoff games for the Stars U16 AAA squad. Overall, Pazo registered 57 points (25 goals, 32 assists), including 3 power play goals, in 53 games played for Esmark.

"With Ed's size and production, quite a few teams had expressed interest in securing his junior rights," said Esmark 18U head coach Dave Kosick. "His shot velocity combined with his net front presence and ability to find scoring chances will certainly give him an opportunity to flourish at the next level."

Pazo is the seventh player from the 2019-2020 U18 AAA squad to sign a tender with an NAHL club and the eighth overall Esmark Stars U18 player to sign a Junior A tender for the upcoming 2020-2021 season. He joins teammates Alex Walker, forward, Wichita Falls Warriors; Lane Ruffner, defenseman, Wichita Falls Warriors; Ryder Brophy, forward, Lone Star Brahmas; Connor Strobel, goaltender, Johnston Tomahawks; Dustin Geregach, defenseman, Johnston Tomahawks; and Tyler Stewart, forward, Fairbanks Ice Dogs, who all had previously signed NAHL tenders for this upcoming season, as well as Danny Mitchell, goaltender, who signed with the Worcester Jr. Railers, of the Eastern Hockey League (EHL).

The Jr. Hat Tricks skated as the Wilkes Barre / Scranton, PA, Knights last season but have relocated to Danbury beginning with the 2020-2021 season.  The team, which will remain in the NAHL's Eastern Division, will play out of the Danbury Arena. Former NAHL standout Billy McCreary is the Jr. Hat Tricks head coach.

Click here for a list of 2019-20 NAPHL tenders

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 July 21, 2020.