Former Michigan State forward Thomas Ebbing has found a home for the 2017-18 season to continue his hockey-playing career. The Montreal Canadiens have reportedly signed him toa one-year, two-way entry-level deal for the 2017-18 season.
Canadiens agree to terms with free agent forward Thomas Ebbing on one-year, two-way (AHL/ECHL) contract.
READ -> https://t.co/XHr8FJQg4f.— Canadiens Montréal (@CanadiensMTL) May 26, 2017
Ebbing, who was born in England, is a native of Troy, MI and a product of Brother Rice High School in Birmingham. The 22-year-old is coming off a 3-goal, 13-assist showing in 37 games played. Over his 143 career games with the Spartans, he tallied 14 goals and 55 total points.
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Ebbing’s plus/minus over the last seasons is a combined -26, but that’s largely due to the team as a whole. Michigan State has won just 37.4 percent of their games (45-81-17 overall) over the last four seasons, their first four since the creation of Big Ten hockey. And they’ve struggled mightily to score in recent years as well, hence the low total for Ebbing (or anyone on that team) as well as his +/- mark.
Ebbing was a grinder though for MSU. In his first three seasons (2013-16), he paced the Big Ten in blocked shots with 153, including 59 as a junior which was good for top-5 nationally in Division I. He was also named the team’s most improved player as a junior when he set career highs in goals (5) and assists (14).
NEW SPARTANS IN THE PROS
Ebbing becomes the latest, now former, MSU hockey player to sign a pro contract since the season ended.
Back in March, the Spartans saw fellow graduates Joe Cox and Rhett Holland ink professional pacts with NHL clubs. Cox signed with the ECHL affiliate for the Carolina Hurricanes, while Holland signed with the Dallas Stars’ ECHL club out in Idaho. Both played in a handful of games down the stretch for their respective clubs.
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Ebbing’s former long-time teammate MacKenzie MacEachern also just finished up his full professional season with the Chicago Wolves (STL) of the AHL. Ebbing and MacEachern played together at Brother Rice and then one season in the USHL before moving on to Michigan State. MacEachern signed his pro contract in March of 2016.
