El Paso defenseman Polifka signs NAHL tender

The El Paso Rhinos of the NA3HL are pleased to announce that defenseman Blake Polifka signed a North American Hockey League (NAHL) tender agreement with the Johnstown Tomahawks of the NAHL’s East Division. 

Polifka, 19, just completed his first season of junior hockey and first season in the NA3HL, spending time with both the Mason City Toros and the El Paso Rhinos.

The 6'3/195 lbs. native of Woodbury, Minnesota, began the 2021-22 season with the Toros, playing 18 games and recording 11 points (1 Goal, 10 Assists). Beginning in February, he then went on to complete the regular season playing for the Rhinos, recording 17 points (8 Goals, 9 Assists) in just 12 regular season games for them. 

Polifka also made seven 2022 Fraser Cup Playoff appearances for El Paso, scoring two goals and one assist in those games. 

Prior to his junior hockey career, Polifka spent two seasons playing for his local high school, East Ridge High. He also was invited to and represented the Chippewa Steel 18U team in the 2021 NAHL Prospects Challenge, where he had three points in four games played. 

Click here to see a list of NA3HL tenders for the 2021-22 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 NA3HL - plus or minus any trades - which became active on November 1st. Tendered players are not eligible for the 2022 NAHL Draft