Northern Michigan University hockey player Tanner Latsch announced on Instagram that he is hanging up his skates due to injuries, according to an online report from the website Tech Hockey Guide that covers Michigan Tech University hockey.

The website at techhockeyguide.com in its report dated Monday said his announcement comes “due to personal and medical reasons” and is “a surprise to most Wildcats fans” as he was preparing for his second season wearing the captain’s “C.”

The report also said that Latsch stated in his Instagram post that he’s incredibly grateful for his career and the memories he made.

Latsch, 23, had his first two playing seasons at NMU marred by injuries. Despite getting his career off to a real flourish with a five-goal weekend in his debut with the Wildcats back in October 2023, he played just eight games that season, all in the opening month.

Northern Michigan University captain Tanner Latsch, left, awaits a faceoff in front of his goaltender, Ryan Ouellette, to be dropped in the second period in a CCHA hockey game played against St. Thomas at the Berry Events Center in Marquette on Friday, Feb. 21, 2025. (Journal photo by Caden Sierra)

A 6-foot-2, 201-pound center from the suburbs of downstate Muskegon, he redshirted in the 2022-23 season, then had a hat trick in his first collegiate game at Minnesota-Duluth, just the second Northern player to make his college debut with at least three goals.

He followed it up with a two-goal, one-assist game the next night against a Bulldogs’ team that began that season ranked No. 17 in the nation, giving Latsch six points in his opening weekend, earning him both CCHA Rookie of the Week and CCHA Player of the Week honors.

Latsch added two more goals the following weekend at No. 18 Arizona State for another CCHA Rookie of the Week award, and subsequently, the CCHA Rookie of the Month for October that year. And he was also runner-up for the national Hockey Commissioners Association Rookie of the Month honor.

He was leading the NCAA in goal scoring and power play goals among freshman for a stretch even after he went down, finishing out the campaign with seven goals, six on power plays, and an assist for eight points.

And despite playing in just eight of NMU’s 34 games, he finished that season 12th among Wildcats in points.

What he did during last summer’s tumultuous offseason might’ve been even more important — and certainly led to his captaincy.

He stayed.

Just four players on last year’s 28-man Wildcats’ roster had played during former head coach Grant Potulny’s final season at NMU, forcing new head coach and former Northern national champion skater Dave Shyiak to find two dozen players to fill out the roster last summer.

Latsch was a natural choice to become captain as one of the team’s few holdovers.

Last season, though, he again missed a dozen games due to injury, playing 22 games and finishing with five goals — one on a power play — and two assists for seven points. Despite the modest numbers, that put him tied for third on the team in goals and ninth in points.

With Northern’s lack of college playing experience, it wasn’t that surprising the Wildcats struggled to 5-27-2 overall and 4-20-2 CCHA records.

Story contents based on an online report at techhockeyguide.com. Journal Sports Editor Steve Brownlee’s email address is sbrownlee@miningjournal.net.