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.
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