BY: Jordan Kuhn, Greenville Swamp Rabbits
GREENVILLE, S.C. — The Greenville Swamp Rabbits, led by head coach Andrew Lord, added significant veteran experience in the form of signing 6-foot-3, 205-pound winger Garrett Thompson to a Standard Player Contract for the 2020–21 season. Thompson, 30, has experience in nearly 400 games at the professional level.
Thompson has spent the last two seasons overseas and won a championship in the process. He scored 9 points in 19 playoff games with Frisk Asker in Norway to capture the Norwegian championship. Last season he played for HKM Zvolen in Slovakia’s top hockey league.
“I’ve heard that Greenville is an unreal city. I talked to people I know around the league that has been through there, and based on that, I made the decision to stay in the United States this year,” Thompson said. “I had a lot of interest in Greenville knowing that Andrew Lord was going to be the head coach, and Todd Mackin and Spire came on board. That is a lot of drive for those that want to win and have a winning culture. Ideally, that’s what it came down to.”
Thompson put in the work in the ECHL and the AHL out of Ferris State University. He played for the Binghamton Senators after signing an entry-level contract with the Ottawa Senators organization after the conclusion of his collegiate career, followed by the Fort Wayne Komets, San Antonio Rampage, and Iowa Wild over the course of playing in North America starting in the spring of 2014.
“This is a great addition to our organization and an important signing at this time. Garrett can have a huge impact on our team next season both on and off the ice,” Lord said. “He is a big forward who skates well for his size, and who has produced consistently over the years. He is very comfortable playing on either wing and is a very reliable 200-foot player.”
Thompson has terrorized the ECHL ranks historically, with 147 points in 167 regular-season games, and 33 points in 44 playoff games. His last two seasons in the ECHL saw him score over 20 goals.
“I’ve been tracking Garrett for years now back to his Fort Wayne days and it’s great to finally land him,” Lord added. “What stands out more than anything is how great a teammate and person Garrett is, and we couldn’t be more excited to have him on board for next season.”
Overall, the Michigander has scored 248 points in 371 pro games of work. He sits four goals away from hitting the century mark.
Thompson’s pro potential showed throughout his time at Ferris State. As a Bulldog, he scored 87 points 139 games, finished his career a +20, and helped lead the way to their winning the regular-season championship in 2012. He also showed his potential as a nominee for the 2010 USA Hockey Junior Player of the Year with a 50-point season in Traverse City during the 2009–10 season.
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