JOHNSON RETURNS
Tyler Johnson has been returned to the Spokane Chiefs from the Minnesota Wild. The 20-year-old had attended their prospect’s camp and played in the Traverse City Tournament, scoring one goal in three games. He will return to Spokane for his fourth season in a Chiefs jersey. The 20-year-old scored 36 goals last year, second on the team, and 71 points, third on the club. Johnson won a gold medal last year with the United States at the World Junior Hockey Championships and has attended the Minnesota Wild’s camp the past two years.
Johnson is doubtful for the weekend opener at Tri-City on Saturday night after experiencing an upper body injury while with the Wild.
Jared Cowen remains the lone Chief away at NHL camp. The defenseman has played in a pair of games with the Ottawa Senators in the preseason, collecting one assist and a +3 rating.
The Chiefs have also reassigned a pair of players; goaltender Chris Sharkey to the Alberta Junior Hockey League and Right Wing Skyler Hladun to the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. The moves leave the Chiefs with 24 players on their roster, including two goaltenders, eight defensemen and 14 forwards.
Twenty-year-old James Reid and 17-year-old rookie Mac Engel will handle the goaltending duties. Reid is entering his third full season as a Chief. In 2009-10, Reid led the WHL with 38 wins, was fourth in goals against average at 2.41 and third with a .920 save percentage. He played 3,514 minutes, the second most in the WHL. Engel led the Red Deer Optimist Chiefs (Alberta Midget Hockey League) to a second place finish finish at the Telus Cup with a 9-1 playoff record last year. In the regular season he finished sixth in the AMHL last season with a 2.43 goals against average and was 13-4-2.