Nate Thompson

Nathan Scott Thompson (born October 5, 1984) is an American professional ice hockey player for the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has previously played for the Boston Bruins, New York Islanders, Tampa Bay Lightning, Anaheim Ducks, Ottawa Senators, Los Angeles Kings, Montreal Canadiens and Philadelphia Flyers. The Bruins drafted him in the sixth round (183rd overall) at the 2003 NHL Entry Draft.

Nate Thompson
Thompson with the Anaheim Ducks in 2016
Born (1984-10-05) October 5, 1984
Anchorage, Alaska, U.S.
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 206 lb (93 kg; 14 st 10 lb)
Position Center
Shoots Left
NHL team
Former teams		 Winnipeg Jets
Boston Bruins
New York Islanders
Tampa Bay Lightning
Anaheim Ducks
Ottawa Senators
Los Angeles Kings
Montreal Canadiens
Philadelphia Flyers
National team  United States
NHL Draft 183rd overall, 2003
Boston Bruins
Playing career 2005–present

Playing career

Amateur

Thompson played major junior ice hockey for the Western Hockey League (WHL)'s Seattle Thunderbirds beginning in the 2001–02 season. After his second season with Seattle, in 2002–03, he was drafted by the Boston Bruins in the sixth round, 183rd overall, at the 2003 NHL Entry Draft on June 21–22, 2003.

Thompson remained with the Thunderbirds for two additional seasons after his NHL selection by the Bruins, in 2003–04 and 2004–05. However, during the latter season, he joined Boston's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Providence Bruins on their run in the 2005 Calder Cup playoffs, making his professional debut.

Professional

Thompson signed an entry-level contract with the Bruins on July 20, 2005, and made his debut in the NHL with the team in 2006–07, playing four games; however, he spent the majority of the season with Providence in the AHL.

Just prior to the start of the 2008–09 season, on October 8, 2008, Thompson was claimed off waivers by the New York Islanders.[1] He scored his first career NHL goal against Henrik Lundqvist of the New York Rangers just under one month later, on November 4.[2]

Thompson during his tenure with the Lightning.

On July 27, 2009, Thompson was re-signed to a one-year contract with the Islanders.[3]

After registering six points in 39 games with the Islanders in the 2009–10 season, Thompson was claimed off waivers by the Tampa Bay Lightning on January 21, 2010.[4] He would appear in 32 games for the Lightning, scoring one goal and three assists for four points; in total, he scored two goals and eight assists for both the Islanders and Lightning, then-career-highs. He also excelled in face-offs, winning 219 of 385 taken for Tampa Bay, a 56.9 percent success rate. In the subsequent off-season, on July 10, 2010, Tampa Bay re-signed Thompson to a one-year contract.[5]

On January 31, 2011, Tampa Bay signed Thompson to a two-year contract extension. At that point, he had played in 51 games with the team, recording career-highs for goals (7), assists (10) and points (17). Thompson also continued his success in the face-off circle, winning 249 of 446 draws taken (55.8 percent). He ranked seventh among NHL forwards with 49 blocked shots, and was also fourth on the team in takeaways, with 25.[6]

During the 2012–13 NHL lockout, Thompson played for his hometown Alaska Aces of the ECHL, later returning to the Lightning at the end of the lockout.[7] On March 3, 2013, Tampa Bay signed Thompson to a four-year contract extension.[8] He finished the shortened, 48-game 2012–13 season with seven goals and eight assists from 45 games played.

He played in 81 games during the 2013–14 season, scoring nine goals and seven assists for 16 points. On June 29, 2014, Thompson was traded by Tampa Bay to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for two picks in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.[9] In his first season with the Ducks, Thompson appeared in 80 games, scoring five goals along with 13 assists.

On December 14, the NHL department of player safety issued a three-game suspension against Thompson for his hit on Justin Faulk of the Carolina Hurricanes. The suspension was deemed an illegal check to the head. Thompson was given a game misconduct at the time of the incident. As a result of the suspension, Thompson lost $25,806.45 in salary.[10]

After three seasons with the Ducks, Thompson left as a free agent to be reunited with former Lightning head coach Guy Boucher, in signing a two-year, $3.3 million contract with the Ottawa Senators on July 1, 2017.[11] On February 13, 2018, Thompson was traded to the Los Angeles Kings along with Dion Phaneuf in exchange for Marián Gáborík and Nick Shore.[12]

In the 2018–19 season, on February 11, 2019, Thompson was traded to the Montreal Canadiens along with a fifth-round pick in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft (originally belonging to the Arizona Coyotes) for a 2019 fourth-round pick (originally belonging to the Calgary Flames).[13] He played a total of 25 games for the Canadiens, recording one goal and six assists. On April 25, 2019, the Canadiens signed Thompson to a one-year, $1 million contract extension.[14]

In a fourth-line center role with the Canadiens in the 2019–20 season, Thompson collected 4 goals and 14 points in 63 games before he was traded to his eighth NHL team, the Philadelphia Flyers, in exchange for a fifth-round pick in 2021 on February 24, 2020.[15]

On October 10, 2020, Thompson as a free agent was signed to a one-year, $750,000 contract with the Winnipeg Jets, marking his ninth NHL club.[16] Out of respect for the late Rick Rypien, who would have played with the Jets wearing #11, Thompson chose the number for his jersey, becoming the first player to do so since the Jets franchise relocated from Atlanta.

Personal life

Born into a Christian family, Thompson decided to begin the conversion process to Judaism before marrying his second wife, Sydney, who is Jewish.[17][18] On January 11, 2020, a feature aired on Sportsnet in which Thompson sat down with Chris Simpson to discuss his former alcohol and drug addiction.[19]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs
Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GPGAPtsPIM GPGAPtsPIM
2000–01 Alaska All Stars AAA U18 AAA ————— —————
2001–02 Seattle Thunderbirds WHL 6913263942 1113413
2002–03 Seattle Thunderbirds WHL 6110243448 155496
2003–04 Seattle Thunderbirds WHL 6513233624 —————
2004–05 Seattle Thunderbirds WHL 5819153439 121232
2004–05 Providence Bruins AHL ————— 110114
2005–06 Providence Bruins AHL 748101858 300010
2006–07 Providence Bruins AHL 678152374 130229
2006–07 Boston Bruins NHL 40000 —————
2007–08 Providence Bruins AHL 7519203983 102354
2008–09 New York Islanders NHL 4322449 —————
2009–10 New York Islanders NHL 3915639 —————
2009–10 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 3213417 —————
2010–11 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 7910152529 181344
2011–12 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 68961521 —————
2012–13 Alaska Aces ECHL 247142123 —————
2012–13 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 45781517 —————
2013–14 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 81971627 40000
2014–15 Anaheim Ducks NHL 805131839 122466
2015–16 San Diego Gulls AHL 20000 —————
2015–16 Anaheim Ducks NHL 4933647 72022
2016–17 San Diego Gulls AHL 30112 —————
2016–17 Anaheim Ducks NHL 3011214 172466
2017–18 Ottawa Senators NHL 43471110 —————
2017–18 Los Angeles Kings NHL 2615610 40000
2018–19 Los Angeles Kings NHL 5342617 —————
2018–19 Montreal Canadiens NHL 251670 —————
2019–20 Montreal Canadiens NHL 634101421 —————
2019–20 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 70119 1610114
NHL totals 7676294156366 788111932

International
Medal record
Representing the  United States
Ice hockey
Ice Hockey World Championships
2013 Sweden/Finland
Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2012 United States WC 7th 8 2 0 2 0
2013 United States WC 10 1 2 3 8
Senior totals 18 3 2 5 8

See also

References
  1. "Islanders claim Thompson". NHL. 2008-10-08. Retrieved 2008-10-22.
  2. "Thompson's first career goal sparks Islanders over Rangers". CBS Sports. 2008-11-04. Retrieved 2008-11-05.
  3. "Islanders agree to terms with Thompson". New York Islanders. 2009-07-25. Retrieved 2009-07-30.
  4. "Lightning claim Nate Thompson off waivers from Islanders". Tampa Bay Lightning. 2010-01-21. Retrieved 2010-01-21.
  5. Tampa Bay, Lightning (July 7, 2010). "Tampa Bay Lightning Re-sign Center Nate Thompson". Press Release. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  6. Pupello, Peter (January 31, 2011). "Tampa Bay Lightning Re-sign Nate Thompson to 2-Year Contract Extension". Bolts Report. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  7. Worley, Brandon (September 28, 2012). "Scott Gomez, Joey Crabb, Nate Thompson sign with ECHL's Alaska Aces". SB Nation. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  8. Pupello, Peter (March 23, 2013). "Tampa Bay Lightning Agree to Terms with Forward Nate Thompson". Bolts Report. Retrieved November 16, 2014.
  9. "Ducks acquire Thompson for two late 2015 picks". National Hockey League. 2014-06-29.
  10. "Ducks F Nate Thompson suspended 3 games for illegal check on Carolina D Justin Faulk". NHL.com. December 14, 2015. Retrieved February 14, 2018.
  11. Garrioch, Bruce (July 1, 2017). "Support of coach behind Senators' signing of free agent Nate Thompson". Ottawa Citizen. Retrieved July 1, 2017.
  12. "LA Kings Acquire Phaneuf, Thompson; Trade Gaborik, Shore to Senators". NHL.com. February 13, 2018. Retrieved February 14, 2018.
  13. "Canadiens acquire Nate Thompson and a 5th-round pick from the Kings". NHL.com. February 11, 2019. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  14. "Nate Thompson returns to Canadiens with one-year, $1-million deal". Montreal Gazette. 2019-04-25. Retrieved April 25, 2019.
  15. "Flyers acquire forward Nate Thompson from Montreal Canadiens". Philadelphia Flyers. February 24, 2020. Retrieved February 24, 2020.
  16. "Jets sign Nate Thompson to a one-year contract". Winnipeg Jets. October 10, 2020. Retrieved October 10, 2020.
  17. "New to Judaism, Newer to Montreal: An Interview with Habs Forward Nate Thompson"
  18. Cooper, Josh (September 19, 2018). "Nate Thompson on his decision to convert to Judaism: 'I like what I'm a part of'". theathletic.com. Retrieved September 19, 2018.(subscription required)
  19. Cowan, Stu (January 14, 2020). "Canadiens' Nate Thompson hopes story of his struggles can help others". Montreal Gazette. Retrieved January 19, 2020.
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