This last decade saw some big stars emerge for the Ferris hockey team, and to celebrate, the team revealed their All-Decade Team.
The Bulldogs wrote up a 20-man roster with four lines including three different pairings of defensemen and two goalies. Altogether the fantasy team consisted of 12 forwards, six defensemen, and two goalies.
These players were featured in some of Ferris’ best teams throughout head coach Bob Daniels’ career and in Ferris hockey history.
In 2012 the Bulldogs had their most successful season after a deep playoff run where they finished as national runner-up. In 2014 the Bulldogs won the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) title but fell short in the conference championship to Minnesota State who was the number two ranked team in the nation at the time. In 2016 the Bulldogs won the WCHA Conference Championship and eventually lost in the NCAA West Regional Final.
FORWARDS
The top line consists of forwards Gerald Mayhew, Kyle Bonis, and Garret Thompson. These were prolific scorers and were top four in points scored for the decade. Mayhew had the most points (119), goals (52) and assists (67) for the decade. Bonis was a former walk-on who was second in goals for the decade with 47. Garret Thompson had 42 goals and 45 assists in 87 career games.
The second line includes Chad McDonald, Corey Mackin and Cory Kane. These three players were highly skilled forwards who made great impacts early and often in their career. They were all members of the 2014 team who won the WCHA regular season. McDonald had a dominant slap shot and had the ability to score in bunches. Corey Mackin was second in points for the decade with 101. Kane was known for the famous second half of his senior year scoring 21 points in 16 games.
The third line comprises Kyle Schempp, Jordie Johnston and Travis Ouellete. Schempp was one of the best leaders the Bulldogs have ever seen. He was 12th in the decade with points (66) and had 29 goals and 37 assists. Johnston had a 20-goal season in 2011-2012 and had the final goal to send the Bulldogs to the Frozen Four. Ouellete is fifth in points scored for the decade with 82 points, 37 goals and 45 assists.
The fourth and last line of forwards includes Justin Buzzeo, Jared VanWormer and Kenny Babinski. Buzzeo had a 13-game stretch to start the 2013-2014 season in which he scored 16 points and lead the team to their longest win streak in program history. VanWormer finished the decade as the 14th highest scorer with 60 points. He is known most for his late goal in the 2016 National Tournament to send the Bulldogs to the Elite Eight. Babinski finished with 52 points for his career and had 26 of his 29 goals in his last three seasons.
DEFENSEMEN
The top pairings were Chad Billins and Zach Redmond. Billins had 67 points in 149 games in 2011-2012. He was an All-American, All-NCAA Tournament team member, led the CCHA in assists by a defenseman, CCHA first All-Star team member and CCHA Scholar Athlete of the Year. Redmond finished with 90 points in 141 games. He was also a CCHA First All Star team member and All-American for the Bulldogs in 2011.
The second pair included Scott Czarnowczan and Simon Denis. In the 2013-2014 season Czarnowczan was named Captain and led the team-defensemen with 25 points in 41 games. Denis is the only Bulldog to have been a part of three separate NCAA Tournament appearances. His only goal of the season in the 2012 campaign was the goal that propelled the Bulldogs to the Elite Eight for only the second time in school history.
The third pair consists of Nate Kallen who is the only active member on the Bulldogs and then Ryan Lowney. Kallen currently has 60 points through 128 career games. Kallen’s 41 assists is tied for 10th in the decade, along with 19 goals — the most for a defenseman in the decade. He is also the all-time leader in power play goals with eight. Lowney was the 12th highest scoring player of the decade with 58 points including 51 assists which is fifth all time.
GOALIES
Only two goalies cracked the All-Decade team and that included CJ Motte and Taylor Nelson. Motte has nearly every record conceived for the Bulldogs. He had 66 wins, a save percentage of .926, a goals-against average of 2.13, 15 shutouts, a single season save percentage .928 and single season shutouts with five — which he did twice. He was also a Hobey Baker Top Ten finalist. Nelson entered the stage his senior year in the 2011-2012 season with a .924 save percentage. He had three shutouts and a 21-7-3 record as the head goaltender — one of the top all-time single season performances in program history.