March 18, 2010

Milwaukee, Wis – Notre Dame hockey senior captain Ryan Thang (Edina, Minn.) has signed an Amateur Tryout Contract with the American Hockey League’s (AHL) Milwaukee Admirals for the remainder of the 2009-10 season. He will begin his professional career on Thursday night, March 18 when the Admirals face the Texas Stars in Cedar Park, Texas.

Thang, who served as an alternate captain as a junior, finished his final year with the Irish ranked second on the team in scoring with nine goals and 14 assists for 23 points. He had six power-play goals, one short-handed tally and one game winner on the year. He picked up 22 penalties for 55 minutes and was -3 on the season.

Selected in the third round, 81st overall by the Nashville Predators in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, Thang finished his Notre Dame career ranked 34th on the all-time points list with 115 career points as he scored 57 goals and added 58 assists in 159 career games. Along the way, the 22-year old left wing had 27 power-play goals, five short-handed markers and 14 game winners while being +35 for his career.

Thang finished his Irish career ranked first all-time in game winners, fifth in games played, fifth in power-play goals and tied for 10th in short-handed goals. He is just one of 30 players in the history of the Notre Dame hockey program to score 50 or more goals and 50 or more assists in his Irish hockey career.

His top season came as a freshman in 2006-07 when he scored 20 goals with 21 assists for 41 points with 10 power-play goals and six game winners. He was named the team’s rookie of the year and was selected to the CCHA all-rookie team while being a finalist for CCHA rookie of the year.

Thang will graduate in May with a degree in Finance from the Mendoza College of Business.

He becomes the fourth Notre Dame senior to sign a pro contract since the end of the season, joining defensemen Brett Blatchford (Chicago Wolves – AHL) and Kyle Lawson (Carolina Hurricanes – NHL, playing in Albany of the AHL) and forward Dan Kissel (Bakersfield Condors – ECHL).