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Johnson Skated in NHL Debut Saturday
11/5/2023 1:00:00 PM | Men's Hockey, M Club
Assist in first game for Sabres
TORONTO - Ryan Johnson, a former Minnesota men's hockey alternate captain, made his National Hockey League debut with the Buffalo Sabres Saturday night on the road in Toronto. The All-Big Ten Honorable Mention Team selection is the 125th Golden Gopher to skate in the NHL, the most of any NCAA program in college hockey history.
The Irvine, Calif., native was a first-round selection of the Sabres in 2019 (31st overall) and started the 2023-24 regular season with Rochester in the American Hockey League. Johnson made nine appearances for the Americans and tallied four assists before earning the call-up Saturday. He immediately made an impact in his first NHL outing, recording an assist via a long stretch pass on Jeff Skinner's goal in the second period. Johnson totaled more than eight minutes of ice time for Buffalo, a team that featured three other former Gophers in the lineup along with captain Kyle Okposo, Erik Johnson, and Casey Mittelstadt.
He is one of two former Gophers to make their NHL debut this season, joining Logan Cooley, and is one of three blue liners, five total, from the 2022-23 Minnesota squad that is currently playing in the NHL.
The Irvine, Calif., native was a first-round selection of the Sabres in 2019 (31st overall) and started the 2023-24 regular season with Rochester in the American Hockey League. Johnson made nine appearances for the Americans and tallied four assists before earning the call-up Saturday. He immediately made an impact in his first NHL outing, recording an assist via a long stretch pass on Jeff Skinner's goal in the second period. Johnson totaled more than eight minutes of ice time for Buffalo, a team that featured three other former Gophers in the lineup along with captain Kyle Okposo, Erik Johnson, and Casey Mittelstadt.
Johnson was one of the most efficient defensemen in college hockey during his four-year career with the Gophers and tallied 59 career points across 143 career games. He helped Minnesota make three trips to the NCAA Tournament and back-to-back NCAA Frozen Four appearances, including an NCAA runner-up finish a season ago. Last year, Johnson led the team with 64 blocked shots, finishing his career blocking more than 200 shots.Ryan Johnson earns his first @NHL point with the assist on Jeff Skinner's goal! #LetsGoBuffalo pic.twitter.com/d1o1xtmI9H
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) November 5, 2023
He is one of two former Gophers to make their NHL debut this season, joining Logan Cooley, and is one of three blue liners, five total, from the 2022-23 Minnesota squad that is currently playing in the NHL.
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