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Ferris State Alum Gerald Mayhew Named Player of the Decade

Ferris State Alum Gerald Mayhew Named Player of the Decade

Big Rapids, Mich. - At the conclusion of Ferris State Hockey's All-Decade team polling, voters named 2017 graduate Gerald Mayhew the player of the decade.

No player scored more points in the decade than Mayhew. He is the current decade leader in goals (52) and assists (67) for 119 points in 150 games. 

No player had a greater penchant for playoff scoring, as Mayhew left Ferris State as the all-time leading postseason point-scorer (Conference Tournament and NCAA Tournament combined). 

Mayhew even earned his own hashtag (#Gerrytime) from the 2014 WCHA Final Five Semi-Final where he scored twice, including the game-winning overtime goal to advance to the WCHA Championship game in his freshman season. 

Though the Bulldogs would fall short in that contest, his return visit to the game in 2016 was as sweet as it could get: A rematch with the Minnesota State Mavericks. 

Mayhew scored in both the 2014 and 2016 games, but his penalty shot goal at Grand Rapids' Van Andel Arena in the 2016 Championship game proved the game and championship winner as the Bulldogs stunned the top seeded Mavericks and Michigan Tech Huskies on back-to-back nights to punch a ticket to the NCAA Tournament. Mayhew was also a two-time WCHA scoring champion.

Mayhew, with his flair for the dramatic, scored as well in his National Hockey League debut, scoring at 18:58 of the third period to cut the Toronto Maple Leafs lead to two goals inside Scotiabank Arena on Oct. 15.

A long turnaround shot by former Harvard University forward Ryan Donato was initially stopped by Maple Leafs goaltender Frederik Andersen, but the rebound was jarred loose by former Boston University forward Jordan Greenway, and Mayhew, driving the goal, hammered it into an open net. Fellow former NCAA stars Donato and Greenway earned assists on Mayhew's first NHL goal.

"It's a dream come true really," Mayhew said to Fox Sports North in the post game show. "It's surreal. It's something I've wanted to do since I was probably five years old, and I'm lucky enough to be able to do it."

Mayhew had three hits, two shots on goal, was perfect in the faceoff dot, and picked up a +1 rating with his goal in 10:09 of ice time in his debut with 12 family members and friends present, including fellow class of 2017 alum Chad McDonald in attendance.

He became the 12th former Bulldog to debut in the National Hockey League tonight, joining Dean Clark, Mike Colman, Dave Karpa, John Gruden, Jason Blake, Andy Roach, Rob Collins, Chris Kunitz, Greg Rallo, Zach Redmond, and Chad Billins. Mayhew left Ferris State as the all-time leader in playoff point scoring in school history.

Mayhew had a breakout season for the Iowa Wild in 2018-19, establishing career highs in nearly every category on 27 goals, 33 assists and 60 points in the regular season. He also tallied nine power play goals and a pair of shorthanded markers. In the playoffs, Mayhew led the Wild in goal-scoring with nine goals and 11 points in 11 games played.

As a prepster, Mayhew was named USHS Michigan Mr. Hockey, awarded annually to Michigan's best high school hockey player. Mayhew tallied 44 goals in 30 games for Wyandotte Roosevelt High School in 2010-11 before joining the Cedar Rapids RoughRiders for the 2011-12 and 2012-13 seasons.