AHL Cleveland Monsters

Monsters Announce Pair of Roster Moves

February 18, 2022 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Cleveland Monsters News Release


CLEVELAND - The AHL's Cleveland Monsters, top affiliate of the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets, announced Friday that the Blue Jackets reassigned goaltender Cam Johnson to the Monsters from the ECHL's Florida Everblades and Cleveland signed forward Robbie Payne to a professional tryout (PTO) contract. In five appearances for the Monsters this season, Johnson went 1-2-1 with a 2.62 goals-against average (GAA) and .892 save percentage (S%) and added a record of 8-3-2 with one shutout, a 1.85 GAA and .923 S% in 13 appearances for Florida. Payne posted 1-1-2 with a -2 rating in five AHL appearances for the Monsters and Springfield Thunderbirds this season and added 16-13-29 with 40 penalty minutes and a +1 rating in 37 appearances for the ECHL's Adirondack Thunder.

A 6'1", 205 lb. left-catching native of Troy, MI, Johnson, 27, went 12-18-6 with one shutout, a 3.65 GAA and a .875 S% in 37 career AHL appearances for the Binghamton Devils and the Monsters spanning parts of three seasons from 2017-19 and 2021-22. In 51 career ECHL appearances for the Adirondack Thunder and Florida spanning parts of four seasons from 2018-22, Johnson went 31-14-4 with six shutouts, a 2.17 GAA and a .925 S%. Prior to his professional career, Johnson went 56-26-12 with 12 shutouts, a 2.10 GAA and a .914 S% in 102 NCAA appearances for the University of North Dakota spanning four seasons from 2014-18. During his time at North Dakota, Johnson helped capture the 2015-16 NCAA National Championship and was named to the 2015-16 NCAA All-Tournament Team, NCHC Second All-Star Team, and NCAA Second All-American Team. In two seasons of USHL action with the Fargo Force and Waterloo Black Hawks from 2012-14, Johnson went 27-23-10 with two shutouts, a 2.87 GAA and a .915 S%.

A 5'11", 194 lb. right-shooting native of Gaylord, MI, Payne, 28, tallied 3-7-10 with 13 penalty minutes and a -5 rating in 40 career AHL appearances for the Texas Stars, Springfield, and the Monsters spanning parts of three seasons from 2017-19 and 2021-22. In 94 career ECHL appearances for the Idaho Steelheads and Adirondack spanning parts of three seasons from 2018-20 and 2021-22, Payne notched 34-39-73 with 102 penalty minutes and a +7 rating. Prior to his professional career, Payne logged 54-40-94 with 42 penalty minutes and a +18 rating in 158 career NCAA appearances for the University of Northern Michigan spanning four seasons from 2014-18. In 2017-18, Payne wore the captain's "C" for the Wildcats and was named to the WCHA's Third All-Star Team. In one USHL season with the Tri-City Storm and Chicago Steel in 2013-14, Payne contributed 14-11-25 with 72 penalty minutes and a +3 rating.

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