Ferris State Hockey Makes Splash On First Day Of NHL Free Agent Signing Period

Big Rapids, Mich. - Two former Ferris State University men's ice hockey defensemen made a splash on the first day of the free agent signing period as both Zach Redmond and Chad Billins inked with National Hockey League (NHL) clubs.

Redmond, who has spent the past two seasons with the Colorado Avalanche, signed a two-year contract with the Montreal Canadiens. The 27-year-old right-handed defenseman has put up 33 points in 114 career NHL games.

Meanwhile, Billins returns to North American after spending the past two years overseas and inked a one-year, two-way deal with the Vancouver Canucks. He previously played in 10 games for the NHL's Calgary Flames during the 2013-14 season.

Most recently, Redmond appeared in 37 games with the Colorado Avalanche in 2015-16, registering six points (2 goals, 4 assists). He maintained a +5 differential, served 10 penalty minutes and averaged 11:47 of ice time per game. The 6-2 skater added seven points (3 goals, 4 assists) and six penalty minutes in 11 games with the American Hockey League's (AHL) San Antonio Rampage.

Since making his NHL debut with Winnipeg in 2012-13, Redmond has played 114 regular season games, contributing 33 points (9 goals, 24 assists). He has scored two goals on the powerplay, with a +5 differential and 46 penalty minutes. In his career, he has suited up with Winnipeg and Colorado. In five seasons at the AHL level with Chicago, St. John's and San Antonio, Redmond has also collected 82 points (25 goals, 57 assists) in 164 games.

During his collegiate career, Redmond amassed 90 points (22 goals, 68 assists) in 141 games at the college level for the Bulldogs. He added 50 points (12 goals, 38 assists) in 108 contests with the USHL's Sioux Falls Stampede, helping his team win the Clark Cup in 2007. On the international stage, Redmond helped Team USA earn the bronze medal at the World Championship in 2015.

A native of Traverse City, Michigan, Redmond was selected in the seventh round, 184th overall by the Atlanta Thrashers at the 2008 NHL Entry Draft.

This past year, Billins suited up for Linkoping HC of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL) where he amassed 31 points on seven goals and 24 assists in 50 outings. He also compiled four points on two goals and two assists in six playoff contests. In international competition, he posted three points with a goal and two assists for Team USA.

The previous season, in 2014-15, Billins began the campaign with CSKA Moskva of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) in Russia where he notched six points on two goals and four helpers in 21 outings. He then moved to the SHL with Lulea HF and tallied six more points on a goal and five assists in 23 additional games. It came following a successful 2013-14 season in which he posted a personal career-high 41 points on 10 goals and 31 assists in 65 regular-season outings for the AHL's Abbotsford Heat while also being called up to play 10 games for the NHL's Flames where he had three assists.

In 2012-13, Billins began his professional career and played a key role as the Grand Rapids Griffins claimed the 2013 AHL Calder Cup Championship by beating the Syracuse Crunch under another former Bulldog alum in head coach Jeff Blashill, who's the current head coach of the NHL's Detroit Red Wings. It was the first title in the 17-year history of the franchise and a Detroit Red Wings farm team's first title since Adirondack captured the Cup in 1982.  It was also the first-ever championship in nearly 30 seasons of professional hockey in Grand Rapids and came in the longest AHL season ever.

Billins helped set the tone with an assist on the first goal of the title series and finished the 2013 Calder Cup Playoffs with a pair of goals and 12 assists for 14 total points along with a +5 plus/minus efficiency rating.  The Grand Rapids rookie led all AHL defenseman in playoff scoring that season.  During regular-season action, Billins totaled 37 points on 10 goals and a team second-best 27 assists in 76 contests. He placed sixth among the team's scoring leaders while recording seven power-play goals.

Billins joined the Griffins after wrapping up his senior campaign as both an All-American on the ice and an Academic All-American for his work in the classroom while helping the Bulldogs to their first-ever NCAA Frozen Four appearance and a national runner-up effort in 2011-12. A native of Marysville, Mich., Billins logged 29 points (7-22—29) and 24 penalty minutes in 43 games with the Bulldogs as a senior while claiming American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) All-America Second Team plaudits on the ice.

The veteran defenseman served as a co-captain for the Bulldogs during the team's run to the NCAA Frozen Four, where they were defeated in the championship game by Boston College. The 5-10, 175-pound defenseman skated in 149 games in four years with Ferris State, notching 67 points (17-50—67) and 108 penalty minutes.

Billins was recognized in his final season as both a All-CCHA First Team recipient and the winner of the CCHA's prestigious Scholar-Athlete Award as the Bulldogs claimed the school's second-ever league regular-season crown.  He placed second among CCHA defensemen with 25 points (7-18—25) in 31 conference games. In 2011-12, Billins was also a finalist for the Lowe's Senior CLASS award and earned a spot on the Senior CLASS All-America Team, which rewards academic success and the loyalty of seniors that honored their four-year commitment to their university.

Prior to his collegiate career, the standout defenseman skated for the USHL's Waterloo Black Hawks in 2007-08 and finished fourth among the league's defensemen with 36 points (10-26—36) in 60 games. Billins also played 62 games for the Alpena IceDiggers of the NAHL from 2005-07, totaling 25 points (7-18—25) and 98 penalty minutes.

Both Redmond and Billins are part of an elite group of past Bulldog players who have spent time in the NHL ranks, including three-time Stanley Cup Champion and Olympic Gold Medalist Chris Kunitz, wing Dean Clark, defenseman Mike Colman, defenseman Jason Blake, defenseman Dave Karpa, defenseman John Gruden, defenseman Andy Roach, forward Rob Collins and forward Greg Rallo.

In addition to the 11 former players who've reached the NHL, a number of former Bulldog hockey players have continued their careers in the professional ranks at various levels across North America and beyond. Several others have also achieved success in the coaching ranks, including Blashill, who both coached and played for the Bulldogs under current FSU head coach Bob Daniels.