Simko signs tender with NAHL
BUTLER TWP — Incoming Butler senior Brody Simko is only eight tallies away from breaking the Golden Tornado hockey career goal-scoring record.
He may never get the chance.
Simko — who scored 20 goals along with registering 20 assists for the Tornado last season — has signed a tender agreement with the New Mexico Ice Wolves of the North American Hockey League. He reports to the team at the end of July.
“It’s free hockey at a very high level,” said Todd Simko, Brody’s father. “Everything is paid for. All he has to do is pay $350 a month in rent. That’s it.”
The NAHL is a 29-team amateur league that has sent 380 players to collegiate teams over the years. Because Simko signed a tender, he is ineligible for the upcoming NAHL player draft.
Should the Ice Wolves — who have only been in the league three years — decide not to keep Simko, he can return home and play his senior season with Butler and with the Esmark Stars AAA 18-under team. Simko tallied 18 goals and 25 assists in 61 games with Esmark last season. He scored 27 goals and had 22 assists for the Stars in 2020-21.
“Brody has a great nose for the goal,” Esmark 18U coach Dave Kosick said in a released statement. “When he has the puck in the offensive zone, he is a true threat to score.
“As his overall game continues to develop, he has the size and strength to be an extremely productive, successful and elite power forward.”
Simko, 17, is 6-foot-0 and weighs 195 pounds.
“My goal is to play collegiate hockey and this is the next step for me,” he said. “I have no problem with it. Just get on a plane and go. I’m going to be one of the youngest guys there and I’m looking forward to that challenge.”
His father said that “most guys who sign a (NAHL) tender, if they don’t make it there, their hockey career is over. Brody’s not in that situation.”
Simko is credited with 48 goals in his Butler career. He scored a few his freshman season, but team records that year were not closely kept. John Turner holds the Tornado career goal-scorning mark of 55.
Simko is not concerned about breaking that record. He’s concentrating on preparation to compete at the next level.
“I’m a power forward and I play along the boards a lot,” he said. “Strength is a big part of my game and I’m going to be playing against stronger, older kids. I need to get stronger. My speed needs to get faster to play at that pace of game, too.”
He will be joining one of the top teams in the league. New Mexico was 38-17-2 last season, second in the South Division. Phil Fox, the lone head coach in the team’s brief NAHL history, was named the league’s Coach of the Year as the Ice Wolves reached the championship final.
“Great team, great coach, great organization,” Simko said. “If I show I can play there, it’d be a big confidence boost.”
Dillan Bentley scored 30 goals and William Howard added 18 for the Ice Wolves last season. No other player scored more than 14 goals.
“I’m hoping I can help them there and contribute to a great team,” Simko said.
Simko is one of five Esmark 18U players to sign NAHL tenders this year. Shane Kozlina (forward) signed with North Iowa, forward Hunter Fairman with Springfield, forward Justin Metrick with Minnesota and defenseman Liam Varmecky with Danbury.
“Brody will be playing games in Minnesota, Alaska, all over the country,” Todd Simko said. “Most of the teams in their division are in Texas. This is a tremendous opportunity for Brody. I’m excited for him.”
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