Monsters Sign Steve Johnson to Pro Tryout Contract
Dec 16, 2019The AHL’s Cleveland Monsters, top affiliate of the NHL’s Columbus Blue Jackets, announced Monday that the Monsters signed defenseman Steve Johnson to a professional tryout (PTO) contract. A 6’1”, 185 lb. left-shooting native of Excelsior, MN, Johnson, 25, posted 1-11-12 with six penalty minutes and a +6 rating in 25 appearances for the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers this season.
Originally selected by the Los Angeles Kings in the fourth round (120th overall) of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, Johnson supplied 0-1-1 with a -6 rating in 13 career AHL appearances for the Ontraio Reign and Hershey Bears spanning parts of two seasons from 2017-19 and added 8-28-36 with 12 penalty minutes and a -9 rating in 80 career ECHL games played for the Reading Royals, South Carolina Stingrays and Wheeling last season and this year.
Prior to his professional career, Johnson tallied 6-34-40 with 28 penalty minutes and a +6 rating in 119 NCAA appearances for the University of Minnesota spanning four seasons with the Golden Gophers from 2014-18. In one USHL campaign with the Omaha Lancers in 2013-14, Johnson contributed 5-26-31 with six penalty minutes and a +23 rating.