Bears Sign Steve Johnson to Tryout Agreement

December 12, 2018

The Hershey Bears announced today that the club has signed defender Steve Johnson to a professional tryout agreement. Johnson will wear #39 for the Chocolate and White.

Johnson, 24, joins the Bears from the Reading Royals of the ECHL. In his rookie season, the native of Excelsior, Minn. has collected nine points (three goals, six assists) and a +2 rating in 22 games. The 6-foot-1, 185-pound defender scored his first professional goal on Oct. 27 vs. Wheeling. 

A standout at the University of Minnesota, Johnson played four seasons for the Golden Gophers, compiling 40 points (six goals, 34 assists) in 119 NCAA games. He helped Minnesota to a regular season championship three different times, as well as a conference tournament title in 2014-15. 

Johnson was originally drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the fourth round of the 2014 NHL Draft. He played four games with the Kings AHL affiliate, the Ontario Reign, last season. 

The Bears visit Providence on Saturday at 7:05 p.m. and Springfield on Sunday at 3:05 p.m. Both games may be heard on the Bears Radio Network and viewed on AHLTV.