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Ferris State's recruit Garrett Thompson nominated for the USA Hockey 2010 Junior Player of the Year. (Photo courtesy of Traverse City North Stars)
Ferris State's recruit Garrett Thompson nominated for the USA Hockey 2010 Junior Player of the Year. (Photo courtesy of Traverse City North Stars)
Posted: Apr 23, 2010

Ferris State Hockey Recruit A Nominee For Junior Player Of The Year Award

*2010 NAHL Junior Player of the Year Nominees Release*

Garrett Thompson (Woodhaven), who recently signed with the Ferris State University men's ice hockey team and will play for the Bulldogs beginning with the 2010-11 season, has been designated as a nominee for the 2010 Junior Player of the Year as announced this Friday (April 23) by the North American Hockey League (NAHL).

Thompson, a three-year (2007-10) member of the NAHL's Traverse City (Mich.) North Stars, is among eight NAHL nominees for the Junior Player of the Year Award.  The Award is presented annually by USA Hockey to the outstanding American-born junior hockey player.

A forward, Thompson has registered a team second-most 50 points on a squad-leading 24 goals with 26 assists in 57 outings for the North Stars this season.  The 6-4, 195-pound skater has totaled six power-play lamplighters and four game-winning tallies while producing a plus 30 efficiency rating.  In league playoff action this campaign, Thompson has netted a team-high seven points on four lamplighters and three helpers in five encounters.

Among the 2009-10 NAHL leaders, Thompson tied for 25th place in points among all players while ranking in a 25th-place tie for forwards only.  He along with incoming Ferris State recruit Andy Huff helped Traverse City to a current second-place 33-20-5 record (71 points) in the NAHL's North Division this season as head coach Anthony Palumbo's squad is presently one victory away from wrapping up the best-of-five NAHL North Division Playoff Finals.     

Thompson has amassed 80 career points with 40 goals and assists apiece in 121 outings during his three seasons at Traverse City.  He ranks on the program's all-time scoring list and is one of just five skaters in the North Stars' history to compile 40 career goals and five players ever to record a 50-point season performance. 

The eight players within the NAHL's two divisions will be narrowed to four in the near future by the NAHL's Junior Player of the Year Selection Committee.  The league's final nominee will then be submitted to USA Hockey's blue-ribbon coaches and administrators for consideration, along with the candidates from every other USA Hockey-sanctioned junior league.