WICHITA FALLS, TX –The Wichita Falls Warriors are pleased to announce that they have signed 2001-born, right-handed defenseman Lane Ruffner to a tender contract for the 2020-21 season.
The 6-foot-1, 175-pound Pennsylvania native is currently playing in the NAPHL with the U18 AAA Esmark Stars. This is his second season with the U18 team.
Last season, Ruffner helped lead Esmark’s U18 squad to the Mid-American District Championship and a spot at the USA Hockey 18U Tier I National Championships.
Up to this point, Ruffner has posted one goal and 16 assists in 33 games played with Esmark. He has also tallied nine assists in eight games with his high school, Greater Latrobe High. Ruffner is currently a senior.
“I’ve been waiting for the opportunity to play in the [North American Hockey League] and I think that the Warriors will be a good opportunity and a good fit for me,” Ruffner said. “I’m a smart player who knows when to make the right play, and I can hold my own against bigger and faster players. I will bring my hard work and dedication to the team.”
Ruffner is the first player in a strong recruiting class for the upcoming 2020-21 season, the Warriors’ first in the league.
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*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 NAPHL – 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 2, 2020. *
