Erik Johnson Joins the St Louis Blues

Erik Johnson was one of the best defenseman that Don Lucia has ever coached, Lucia said. And now that he is leaving for the St. Louis Blues for the 2007-08 NHL season, the Gophers defenseman will have to step up their skating for the Gophers. Johnson was noticed by NHL scouts for his six-feet, four-inch, 222-pound frame and the fact that he contributed as a true freshman for one of the best college hockey programs in the country. Although Johnson only had four goals on the season, he did compile 20 assists on some truly dazzling passes up the ice to streaking forwards. Johnson's contract deal is going to pay him somewhere in the neighborhood of $765,000 a year over three years. Other Gopher defensemen Alex Goligoski and Mike Vannelli are both likely to leave, Goligoski early and Vannelli graduating. If Goligoski leaves, the Gophers will have lost their top three scoring defensemen, forcing other defensemen like Derek Peltier to skate more minutes. Gopher Girl is looking forward to seeing Erik Johnson skating at the Xcel Energy Center in the near future!