Pikes Peak 18U forward Eubank signs NAHL tender
February 4, 2015
The Pikes Peak Miners, proud members of the North American Prospects Hockey League (NAPHL) are pleased to announce that 18U forward Jake Eubank has signed an NAHL tender agreement with the Kenai River Brown Bears. The Brown Bears compete in the NAHL’s Midwest Division.
Eubank, 18, is a hometown native of Kenai River, Alaska and in his first season playing in the NAPHL for the Miners. Eubank (6’2/200) led the Miners in scoring during the regular season with 19 points in 23 NAPHL games played.
“We had him out to skate last year and this year, and we really like that he was able to get into a program like Pikes Peak that demands a lot of players,” Brown Bears head coach Geoff Beauparlant said. “He’s been able to play competitive hockey nine months out of the year.”
Eubank has used all that time to improve. Beauparlant said Greg Vanover and Bob Nolette with Pikes Peak do a great job developing players. Alec and Evan Butcher played at Pikes Peak, and Hanson also is currently with the Miners.
“I’ve worked on foot speed, and using my body more,” Eubank said. “I’m a bigger guy, so I’ve learned to use my body better driving to the net instead of shooting from the perimeter.”
One of Eubank’s most productive events of the season came during the last event in Troy in January where he recorded six points in five games played. He was also selected to play in the inaugural NAPHL 18U All-Star Game, where he recorded an assist in the game playing for Team White. He also recorded seven points in four games played during the event in Omaha.
“It’s been a pretty big deal to me,” Eubank told the Peninsula Clarion newspaper. “It’s been a lifelong goal of mine to play at home, and now I have the opportunity to play at home. I’ve still got to try out and make the team.”
“Being away from home is difficult,” Eubank said. “There’s a lot of negatives to it. But the billet family I live with here is a good family.”
Eubank is the third Miners player, and second from the 18U team, to sign an NAHL tender this season. Teammate Luke Boose signed a tender with Wenatchee and Pikes Peak 16U forward Ross Hanson signed a tender with Kenai River.
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 in June of 2015.
