Pittsburgh, PA - The Pittsburgh Stars AAA Hockey Club of the North American Tier I Hockey League (NAT1HL) are pleased to announce that 18U defenseman Ethan Bombalski has signed a tender agreement with the North American Hockey League (NAHL) Kenai River Brown Bears Junior A team.

The 2024-25 season is Bombalski’s second season with the Star’s program and second with the Star’s U18 Midget Major squad.

The (5'10" / 180 lbs.) 18-year-old from Apollo, PA, registered 12 points (5 goals, 7 assists), including one power play goal and one game winning goal, in 14 NAT1HL regular season and Dixon Cup Playoff appearances. Overall, for the 2024-2025 campaign, Bombalski, a Kiski Area High School senior, tallied 55 points (21 goals, 34 assists), including five power play goals, in 68 games played for the Stars.

During the 2023-24 season, Bombalski, registered 6 points (2 goals, 4 assists), in 17 NAT1HL regular season and Dixon Cup Playoff appearances, including one power play goal and overall tallied 23 points (5 goals, 18 assists), including one power play goal, in 58 games played for the Stars 18U squad.

"Ethan is a great pick-up for Kenai River,” said Pittsburgh Stars 18U head coach Dave Kosick. "He is without a doubt among the best players, and certainly one of the top defensemen, in the NAPHL T1ER League and will bring a very high-level two-way game to the Alaska and the Brown Bears.”

Bombalski was named to the North American Prospects Hockey League (NAPHL) T1ER League All-Tournament teams from the 2025 Dixon Cup Playoffs, where he recorded five points (2G, 3A) and a +5 rating in three round-robin wins (Madison Capitols, Wasatch Renegades, Philly Hockey Club) and a semi-final loss (Lincoln Stars); named to the North American Prospects Hockey League (NAPHL) T1ER League Season Second Team; and was selected and participated in the (NAPHL) T1ER Top Prospect Showcase.

Bombalski was originally tendered in the NAHL by the Colorado Grit who placed their franchise into an “inactive status” for the upcoming 2025-26 season, thus releasing Bombalski from his original NAHL tender.

The Brown Bears, who skate in the NAHL's nine-team Midwest Division, along with the Anchorage Wolverines (AK), Chippewa Steel (WI), Fairbanks Ice Dogs (AK), Janesville Jets (WI), Minnesota Wilderness, Springfield Jr. Blues (IL), and Wisconsin Windigos, play in the Soldotna Sports Center in Kenai River, AK.

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