Brady Norrish, a stand out defence man with the Yorkton Terriers who graduated from Junior hockey after a Royal Bank Cup win in May 2014, has a new honour to add to his resume.
Norrish, now a member of the Rochester Institute of Technology (RIT) men’s hockey team was named to the Atlantic Hockey Conference Gladiator Custom Mouthguards All-Rookie Team for the 2014-15 regular season.
All student-athletes were nominated by their own coaches and voted on by the remaining 10 coaches. Norrish was one of two unanimous selections.
Norrish has enjoyed an excellent rookie season for the Tigers, leading all first-year RIT players with 16 points on four goals and 12 assists to go along with a spectacular plus-16 rating to-date.
His plus-16 rating is tied for fourth in the league, and is tops among all first-year players. He leads all first-year Atlantic Hockey defencemen in scoring and was seventh overall among all AHC defenders at the time of the award announcement.
Norrish scored his first collegiate goal, a shorthanded tally, and added an assist at Robert Morris on Oct. 31. He has three multiple-point efforts this season.
With such stellar numbers, was such an award in the back of Norrish’s mind?
“No it was not,” he said. “I actually didn’t know they gave awards like that.”
But once the announcement was made Norrish said he was more than pleased.
“I was very excited and honoured to hear about it,” he said, then added hockey is still not about individual awards. “At the end of the day what you want is the championship trophy held up alongside your teammates … As a player it’s something that I’m happy to be a part of and hope to continue helping the team be successful.”
Norrish and the third-seeded Tigers are in the AHC Quarterfinals, against a yet-to-be determined opponent. Games One and Two will be played on Friday, March 13 and Saturday, March 14.
If necessary, game three will be Sunday, March 15.
Brother Chase is also playing with the Tigers with one-goal, 11-assists, while sitting at minus-one.
So has Brady done a little bragging to bro?
“No I have not really been giving Chase the gears too much,” said Brady, adding, “he’s has had a very successful season as well.”
As for his own first season of college hockey, Brady said he feels he has adapted to the game well.
“I think my first college season has gone well,” he said. “Team wise we are playing strong and the adjustment of going to classes then the rink has gone well.
“I have been learning a lot from the team and hope to continue to mature as a player and person.”
In terms of adjustment from Junior, Norrish said there is a different gear in the college game.
“The biggest adjust was speed,” he said. “It’s a bit quicker game then before and the players are more skilled. But it’s an exciting challenge and I hope to keep learning.”
And, there is always more to learn as a still developing player.
“I want to become a more reliable player and hope to help the team have a successful season with a great group of players,” said Norrish.
