Zach Redmond Signs NHL Deal With The Atlanta Thrashers
Senior Zach Redmond (Traverse City) of the 2010-11 Ferris State University men's ice hockey team made his mark in four seasons as a Bulldog and will now hope to do likewise in the National Hockey League (NHL) after signing with the Atlanta Thrashers this Tuesday (April 5) in an announcement made by Thrashers' General Manager Rick Dudley.
Redmond will embark on his professional career this Friday (April 8) evening skating for the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League (AHL). Chicago is the top affiliate of the Atlanta Thrashers' organization.
Redmond, who served as the Bulldogs' 2010-11 team captain, was drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers in the seventh round (184th overall) of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft and was also an attendee of the Thrashers' Prospects Camp this past summer.
A 2010-11 All-Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) First-Team selection, Redmond compiled a team second-most 20 points on a career season-high seven goals with 13 assists in 26 games this season. The 6-2, 205-pound skater, who led all Ferris defensemen in points, goals, and assists for the 2010-11 campaign, recorded four power-play lamplighters, three game-winning tallies, 41 blocked shots, and a plus three effiency rating. Redmond netted at least a point in 15 contests, which included five multi-point game performances.
Redmond, a 2010-11 Hobey Baker Memorial Award candidate, earned CCHA Defenseman of the Week accolades earlier this season (Jan. 10) and was named to Inside College Hockey.com's First-Half All-CCHA Team. Redmond was chosen as a preseason All-America Third-Team honoree by Inside College Hockey.com and was tabbed as a first-team CCHA Preseason All-Conference Team pick prior to the 2010-11 campaign.
In his four seasons (2007-11) at Ferris State, Redmond accumulated 90 points on 22 goals and 68 assists in 141 outings. The 2009-10 All-CCHA Second-Team performer chalked up 12 power-play goals, seven game-winning markers, one short-handed lamplighter, 217 blocked shots, and a plus 22 efficiency rating. Among FSU's all-time scoring leaders, Redmond wrapped up his career ranking tied for 24th in assists and 37th in points. A 2009-10 MichiganCollegeHockey.com Second-Team pick, Redmond currently is listed sixth in assists for Bulldog defensemen while ranking seventh in points, tied for seventh in goals, and 14th in games played.
Redmond is the fourth 2010-11 Ferris State skater to sign with a professional team. Goaltender Pat Nagle (Bloomfield) inked a deal with the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning while left wing Mike Embach (Orland Park, Ill.) and defenseman Scott Wietecha (Wolverine Lake) signed with the American Hockey League's Texas Stars and the Elmira Jackals of the East Coast Hockey League, respectively.
Ferris State concluded the 2010-11 season at 18-16-5 overall, which included a fifth-place 12-12-4-3 CCHA ledger (43 league points). The Bulldogs' 18 victories produced this campaign marked a tie for the eighth-most single-season wins total in the program's history.