NORTH RICHLAND HILLS, TX – The Lone Star Brahmas have signed Collin Siebenaler to a tender. Siebenaler, a tenacious two-way forward, is the fifth player to be signed for the 2017-18 season.
“I’m super excited about [signing with the Brahmas],” Siebenaler said. “It’s going to be a great place for me to progress my skills, and I know going there will help me move forward and keep pushing me to make my career what I want it to be.”
For their part, the Brahmas coaching staff is looking forward to having Siebenaler in North Richland Hills next season.
“[He’s a] real productive forward, plays both sides of the puck well,” Assistant Coach Al Rooney said. “We expect him to step in and contribute right away on forechecking and creating some chaos down in the opponent’s end and then grow into more of an offensive role.”
When asked what made Siebenaler stand out amongst the hundreds of players scouted by the organization, Rooney said it was the forward’s hustle and heart. “He’s got enough grit in his game to make things happen and enough talent to finish off plays. He’s probably a little bit more of a passer than a scorer, but he’s having a real productive season on a real good team this year.”
Siebenaler, who currently plays for the Ohio Blue Jackets of the T1EHL, is enjoying a very productive season indeed. With 10 goals and 13 assists in 24 games, Siebenaler is fourth on his team in points, with most of those coming at even strength.
“I think I’m doing very well this year,” Siebenaler said. “I’m going out of my comfort zone a little and discovering new things I can do on the ice.”
That seems to be working out for him, as he’s putting up nearly a point per game this season, helping propel the Blue Jackets to 17-7-0 record thus far.
At 5-foot-10 and 170 pounds, Siebenaler is never going to be the biggest guy on the ice, but his ability to play just as well without the puck as with it more than makes up for his lack of size. “I can put points up, put pucks in the back of the net,” Siebenaler said, “But also I’m a really good defensive player. I’m always backchecking hard and looking for a man to pick up.”
Siebenaler will be looking to join the Brahmas this coming fall, bringing his strong 200-foot game with him. “[Lone Star] sounds like it’s going to be top notch, which is exactly what I wanted,” he said.
* 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. *