St. Louis defenseman Capkovic signs NAHL tender
April 4, 2018
The St. Louis Jr. Blues, proud members of the NA3HL, are pleased to announce that defenseman Mark Capkovic has signed a North American Hockey League (NAHL) tender agreement with the Shreveport Mudbugs of the NAHL’s South Division. The Mudbugs won the South Division regular season title this year.
The 5’9/165 lbs. native of Oakville, Missouri, was a major part of the Jr. Blues’ Fraser Cup Final run in his rookie season, where he scored 7 goals and added 21 assists for 28 points in 39 regular-season games, finishing the year with a +23 rating. He was also a 2018 NA3HL Top Prospects selection, recording four assists in three games for the 18U Selects White team, and added one goal and four assists as he played all seven of the Jr. Blues’ playoff matches.
Jr. Blues head coach Chris Flaugher said, “We were incredibly happy to see Mark sign a tender with us last year and we’re even happier that he’s signed with Shreveport for next year. He’s really a complete package of a defenseman: strong in possession, tough and physical in both zones, useful on special teams, and with a never-quit attitude. [Shreveport head coach] Karlis Zirnis is getting a great player for next season.”
Capkovic is not the first Jr. Blues standout to make his way to Louisiana. Last season former St. Louis forward Frankie Melton won the NAHL goal-scoring crown for the Mudbugs, parlaying that into a NCAA Division I commitment with Ferris State University. In addition, Jr. Blues forwards Jack Hatton and Jake Cox began their 2017-18 seasons with Shreveport.
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 one tender exclusively used on players from the NA3HL - plus or minus any trades - which became active on Nov. 1. Tendered players are not eligible for the NAHL draft, which will be held on June 5, 2018.
