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Rebels captain Johnson signs with Blackhawks

Mar 6, 2019 | 4:00 PM

Red Deer Rebels captain Reese Johnson has signed an NHL entry level contract with the Chicago Blackhawks.

The Blackhawks say it’s a three-year contract that runs through the 2021-22 season with an average annual value of $925,000.

 

 

Johnson has 45 points in 62 games with the Rebels this season and has developed into one of the Western Hockey League top face-off winners.

His five-year stint with the Rebels has been filled with ups and downs. He played only a half-season in 2015-16 and missed the entire 2016-17 season due to injuries.

But the Rebels showed faith in Johnson, who collected 39 points in 72 games last season before naming him team captain for 2018-19.

The 20-year-old Saskatoon native will remain with the Rebels through the end of the season.

Johnson is the second Rebels player to sign a deal with the Blackhawks, joining Brandon Hagel who did so in October.