Trevor Johnson back with Fury

September 21, 2005 - International Hockey League 2 (IHL 2)
Muskegon Lumberjacks News Release


MUSKEGON, MI.--- With their 14th training camp as the United Hockey League and minor pro hockey's all-time top winning team a mere couple of weeks away, the reigning two-time Colonial Cup Champions, the Muskegon Fury, are beginning the process of applying the finishing touches to the pre-season roster. As the inception of the 2005-06 campaign looms on the near horizon, the Fury are continuing to upgrade and elevate their back line blue line with their latest player procurement.

Today, Fury Team Owner and Club President Tony Lisman, in concert with Director of Hockey Operations / Head Coach Todd Nelson, have announced that the franchise with the most Colonial Cups crowns in league annals has come to terms with standout defenseman TREVOR JOHNSON on a new one-year contract for the upcoming 2005-06 season. Adhering to club policy, terms of the deal were not disclosed.

JOHNSON, 23, will be embarking on his third full pro season overall and his second full year as a member of the Muskegon title timber team. His contract signing on this date signals a much-anticipated return to the Fury organi-zation where he actually launched the pro phase of his career late in the 2002-03 season. The 5-10, 185lb, left-hand shooting rearguard's last appearance for Muskegon was the year of Colonial Cup III when the Fury in unprecedented, unparalleled, undefeated fashion swept through all three post-season playoffs' series with a perfect 11(11-0) mark to capture the league's most coveted crown.

In marking his second coming to the "Furious Ones," Johnson has augmented his on-ice dossier with an excellent 2004-05 season in both the ECHL as well as the AHL. Seeing the sights of the minor pro circuit, the Trail B.C. prodigy saw significant service in the ECHL with the South Carolina Stingrays and the Peoria Rivermen and in the AHL with the Hershey Bears and the Binghamton Senators. Playing 59 of his 62-games in the ECHL, "T.J., The Great Johnsoni" distinguished himself prominently in South Carolina where he amassed 24-points in 38-games on 5-goals, 19-assists, accruing 37-PIM and achieving a team-best +20 rating. Ten of his 24-points were accumulated through the power play. In Peoria, he authored 10-points in 21-outings on 3-goals, 7-assists along with 28-PIM. The Western Canadian was summoned to the AHL on two separate occasions; joining Hershey and later Binghamton.

For the entire season, combined with the ECHL and AHL, Johnson saw action in 62-games, essaying 34-points on 8-goals, 26-assists with 69-PIM and an overall rating of +18 for the season.

Coach Nelson knows that Johnson will be a solid fit for his team as it competes for a third consecutive title and a fourth such crown in the last five years. "Trevor was with us two years ago and enjoyed an excellent rookie season, playing well and being a part of our perfect run to the championship. Last season, he enjoyed an excellent year in the ECHL, earning opportunities to play in the AHL. We look at this development today as a very special, significant signing for our club. Trevor possesses promising offensive skills and he plays with an edge which makes him effective in our zone. With this being his third year, this season could very well be a breakout season for him. He will be attend-ing the Binghamton Senators training camp and that experience should really be an asset for him and our club."

In 2003-04, as a member of the Muskegon Colonial Cup III squadron, Johnson was recognized as one of the UHL's premiere rookie newcomers. In that season, he was named to the UHL All-Rookie Team as well as representing the Fury in the UHL All-Star Classic played in Fort Wayne. In 74-games, he collected 26-points on 3-goals, 23-assists registering 86-PIM with all three of his snipes snapped abroad. Perhaps, his best goal was the key FG /PPG in the fourth and deciding game of the Colonial Cup Finals in Elmira on May 14, 2004.

Originally obtained by the Fury as their top choice, fifth overall, in the March 2003 UHL North American Amateur Draft, Johnson stepped right in and contributed 6-points in the final 7-games of the regular season 7(0-6-6). He especially thrived in his first-ever endeavor into the playoffs; 9(4-6-10) as the UHL's leading scoring rookie in the playoffs while his 4-goals tied him for the league-leadership in that department and his 6-assists were ranked a lofty second among rookies. Among the UHL defense, he finished a single-point behind the league-leader and those 4-goals tied him for the most in the playoffs in the blue line brigade department.

Before his Muskegon coming-out party, Johnson enjoyed a superb five-year career in the Major Junior ‘A' with Kootenay, Seattle and Tri-City. In 2002-03, he was Tri-City's top scoring defensemen with 66(17-29-46) and 8-PPG which led all of his team defense.

Johnson was also a member of the Kootenay Ice team when they attained their first-ever berth in the 1999-00 season for the Memorial Cup Championship.

Today's signing of defenseman TREVOR JOHNSON brings to 17 the total number of players currently under contract for the 2005-06 season with 13 of those recognized as returning holdovers from the second straight championship of 2004-05. Previously, Muskegon announced the signings of goaltenders KEVIN LAPOINTE, CLAYTON POOL; defensemen JON INSANA, STEVE O'ROURKE, DAVE VAN DRUNEN, CLAY WILSON; centers BILLY COLLINS, JEFF NELSON, TODD ROBINSON; left wings KEN FELS, DAVID WRIGLEY; right wings ROBIN BOUCHARD, RUSTYN DOLYNY, NIGEL HAWRYLIW, JASON LAWMASTER, BILL ZALBA.



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