Indiana 18U defenseman Rutz signs NAHL Tender

The NAPHL T1ER League is pleased to announce the tender agreement between the Fairbanks Ice Dogs of the North American Hockey League and Charlie Rutz of Indiana Elite 18U. This agreement will carry through the end of the 2026-27 season.

Rutz has been a longtime skater in the NAPHL, including three seasons with the Indiana Elite program. He has competed in the T1ER League from the 14U through 18U levels, skating in a total of 47 games across four seasons and continuing to elevate his game each year along the way.

Rutz was a cornerstone of his team during the 2026 calendar year. Although only playing nine games the left handed defenseman averaged 0.67 points per game on the back end. The balance of offensive production and shut-down defense is an attractive quality of Rutz’s game.

The Fishers, Indiana native made a great impression with Indiana this season with his first game being his best offensive performance of the season. On Jan. 30 Rutz recorded a goal and two assists to help his team defeat the Philadelphia Jr. Flyers 5-2.

Rutz is one of five players from the Indiana Elite 18U team who have signed a tender agreement this season with a NAHL team. 

Click here to see a list of T1ER tenders for the 2025-26 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 T1ER - plus or minus any trades - which became active on November 1st. Tendered players are not eligible for the 2026 NAHL Draft.