The Des Moines Buccaneers signed Chris Pinko of the North Jersey Avalanche to a tender agreement for the 2026-27 season.
 

Pinko led the Avalanche offensively this season, recording 15 goals and 30 assists in 18 games in the Atlantic Youth Hockey League (AYHL) at 15U. He was more than a point-per-game player in the playoffs with five goals and two assists. In the Tier 1 Elite Hockey League (T1EHL), the dual citizen of the U.S. and Czechia had six goals and 12 assists in 12 games at 15U, while appearing twice with the 16U team and scoring a pair of goals in four outings with the 18U squad. He also saw playoff action at the 16U and 18 levels.

“We’re very excited to tender Chris Pinko," said Buccaneers Head Coach and President of Hockey Operations Derek Damon. "He’s a dynamic player with a high hockey IQ and strong skating ability. We believe he has the potential to develop into a high-impact player for our organization for years to come."
 

Last season, Pinko had 18 goals and 32 assists in 23 games with the Avalanche in the AYHL at 14U. He had four goals and five assists in four games with the T1EHL 14U team, and 49 goals and 81 assists in 18 games at 14U AAA, leading his team in scoring. He had three goals and seven assists in eight combined playoff games across the AYHL and T1EHL at 14U.
 

The USHL tender process allows teams to sign up to two 2010 birth-year players in exchange for their first- and second-round picks in the 2026 USHL Phase I Draft. As a result of their tender signing this year, the Buccaneers forfeited their first-round pick in the Phase I USHL Draft. Each tendered player will join their respective team's roster the next season and play at least 55% of the team's regular-season games.
 

About the USHL
 

The United States Hockey League (USHL) and its 16 teams are committed to being the world's leading junior hockey league. This season, more than 50% of NCAA Division I men's hockey players and nearly 25% of NHL players have USHL experience. The USHL has developed more than 285 direct NHL Draft picks since 2020, and eight of the last 10 Hobey Baker Award winners, including Macklin Celebrini (Chicago Steel).

Elevated through the recently announced Declaration of Excellence with the NHL and USA Hockey, the league's player-first approach, including a 2:1 practice-to-game ratio and a schedule with 90% of games played on weekends, provides its players with the optimal environment for athletic and personal growth, creating pathways for the next generation of stars like Auston Matthews (NTDP), Kyle Connor (Youngstown Phantoms), Jeremy Swayman (Sioux Falls Stampede), and Johnny Gaudreau (Dubuque Fighting Saints).