NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, TX – Chase Pletzke becomes the sixth player to tender with the Lone Star Brahmas for the upcoming 2017-18 season. Pletzke is the also the fourth forward to pledge his commitment to the Brahmas in the North American Hockey League.
“I picked the Brahmas because of the coaching staff and the professionalism of the organization. The coaches are there to teach the skills on the ice but also provide guidance off the ice. This means a lot to me so it will help me prepare for college hockey,” Pletzke said.
The Bay City, Michigan native is committed to Bowling Green State University where he will play during the 2019-20 season. He would be a big addition up front for the Brahmas who have seven forwards aging out this summer.
“I think Chase is one of the elite players in the Tier I Elite League. He plays exactly the way we want our players to play. He plays with a lot of heart, energy and passion and his compete level is through the roof,” Head Coach Dan Wildfong said.
Pletzke, currently the Brahmas youngest tendered player for next season, turns 17 years old in April and is playing up a level in the T1EHL. With the Oakland Jr. Grizzlies, Pletzke is a point-per-game player with four goals and ten assists in 14 games, but an injury has cut his season short up north.
Current Brahmas Julian Biondo and Blake Evennou also played for the Jr. Grizzlies U18 team before coming to Texas. Throughout his three seasons in Michigan, there is no denying that Pletzke is the total package.
“I will bring a relentless work ethic, a ‘never give up’ attitude and an eagerness to learn,” Pletske said. “I want to improve the offensive side of my game and be a contributor to the team’s success.”
The former OHL draft pick of the Saginaw Spirit also has his rights protected by the Green Bay Gamblers in the United States Hockey League, who selected Pletzke in the Futures Draft last summer.
“I think he’s going to grow as a player down here. If he makes the USHL that’s great, but if he doesn’t we are really excited to have him,” Wildfong said.
The centreman will be a 200-foot player for Wildfong’s team and is more than capable of running the power play and logging ice time on the penalty kill.
Before going to college, the 5-foot-10, 160-pound forward will still play two seasons of junior hockey. Pletzke says he is most eager to work on his scoring ability and finishing plays before advancing to the collegiate level.
* 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 – plus or minus any trades. Tendered players are not eligible for the NAHL draft. *