Granite City forward Kilen signs NAHL tender

Zack Kilen has six point in eight games this season with Granite City (photo by Pete Knutson).

The Granite City Lumberjacks of the NA3HL are pleased to announce that forward Zach Kilen has signed a North American Hockey League (NAHL) tender agreement with the Bismarck Bobcats in the NAHL’s Central Division.

Kilen, 19, joined the Lumberjacks back in mid-January after playing the first half of the 2020-21 season with the Minot Minotauros in the NAHL. The 5’10/153 lbs. native of Virginia, MN, currently has six points in eight games with Granite City so far this season

While with the Minotauros earlier this season, he collected two points, a goal and an assist, in 10 games played.

“Zach is a smart, rink-ratty forward who competes and has always had a knack for the net,” said Bismarck assistant coach Garrett Hendrickson. “I’ve watched him for a long time and he’s continued to get better every season.”

Kilen posted 107 points in just 73 games in Minnesota high school hockey, split between Virginia/Mountain Iron-Buhl High School and Hermantown High School.

“This upcoming summer is going to be a big summer for his development,” Hendrickson said. “I’m looking forward to seeing how he comes into our camp.”

Click here for a list of 2020-21 NA3HL tenders

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 includes 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 2021 NAHL Draft.