Tri State 18U goalie Knapp signs NAHL tender

The Tri State Spartans of the NAPHL are pleased to announce that 18U goaltender and All-Star Klayton Knapp has signed a North American Hockey League (NAHL) tender agreement with the Austin Bruins of the NAHL’s Central Division.

Knapp, 17, just completed his first season playing for the Spartans in the NAPHL. The 6’2/180 lbs. native of Sylvania, OH, appeared in 12 NAPHL games during the 2020-21 season and posted a 6-4-1 record with a 2.00 goals against average and a .918 save percentage with one shutout.

Knapp was also selected to and played in the 2020-21 NAPHL 18U All-Star Game, where he stopped 12 out of 12 shots for Team Matthews and picked up the win in the game as well. He also appeared in four Dixon Cup Playoff games in 2021, posting a 2-1-0 record.

Prior to playing for the Tri State Spartans, Knapp played two seasons of 16U and 15U hockey for the Sylvania Stars.

He is the second player from the Spartans 18U team who has signed an NAHL tender so far this season.

Click here for a list of 2020-21 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 2021 NAHL Draft.