Esmark 18U defenseman Varmecky signs NAHL tender

The Esmark Stars AAA Hockey Club of the North American Prospects Hockey League (NAPHL) are pleased to announce that 18U defenseman Liam Varmecky has signed a North American Hockey League (NAHL) tender agreement with the NAHL's Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks.

Varmecky, 18, has skated for Esmark AAA Hockey for the past seven seasons, joining the program as a U12 in 2015-16.

For the past two seasons, '21-'22 and '20-'21, Varmecky has skated with the Stars U18 AAA Midget Major squad and during the '19-'20 season with Star's 16U AAA Midget Minor team.

The (6'3", 201 lbs.) graduate of Pine Richland High School, registered 24 points (10 goals, 15 assists), including two power play goals and one game-winning-goal, in 28 regular season NAPHL games played this season. In four Dixon Cup NAPHL Playoff game appearances, Varmecky registered 2 points (2 assists). He was also named to and played for Team Grey in the NAPHL 18U All-Star game.

Overall this season, Varmecky has tallied 51 points (11 goals, 40 assists), in 60 games played for the Stars.  His numbers includes 4 power play goals and a team leading +/- rating of +48.

He also appeared in one game for the NAHL's Johnstown Tomahawks earlier this season.

During the 2020-21 season, Varmecky registered 8 points (2 goals, 6 assists), in 20 regular season NAPHL games and five NAPHL Dixon Cup Playoff games for Esmark's U18 squad.

Overall last season, Varmecky notched 27 points (6 goals and 21 assists), in 69 overall games played to help lead Esmark's U18 squad to the USA Hockey's Tier I National Championship Tournament.

Overall, Varmecky has recorded 41 points (10 goals and 31 assists) including 3 power play goals and 3 game-winning goals, in 86 career NAPHL and Dixon Cup games played.

"Liam is a big d-man, with a long reach, who works hard in both ends of the rink," said Esmark 18U head coach Dave Kosick. "He has a high end skill set that allows him to regularly get on the scoresheet in the offensive zone, but the defensive smarts necessary to limit the opposition in his defensive zone.  An ideal combination for Junior hockey."

"Liam has a great opportunity to add value to the Junior Hat Tricks defensive corp for head coach Billy McCreary," Kosick added.

Varmecky becomes the fourth member of the 2021-2022 Esmark 18U AAA team to sign a tender with an NAHL club, joining teammates Shane Kozlina, North Iowa Bulls; Hunter Fairman, Springfield Jr Blues; and Justin Mettrick, Minnesota Wilderness

The Junior Hat Tricks, who are based out of Danbury, CT, play in the seven-team NAHL East Division.

Click here to see a list of NAPHL tenders for the 2021-22 season

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 November 1st. Tendered players are not eligible for the 2022 NAHL Draft.