The Trail Smoke Eaters continue to build, as the team received a commitment from Robbie Johnson from the Pursuit of Excellence Hockey Academy (POE) Midget U-18 team on Tuesday.
Johnson produced 11 points, posting seven goals and four assists in just 15 games in the Canadian Sport School Hockey League’s (CSSHL) Prep Division this past season. In 14 North American Prospect Hockey League (NAPHL) games he recorded a goal and three assists for four points and 16 penalty minutes.
Johnson, who will be 16 in July, is a draft pick of the Kootenay Ice in the Western Hockey League (WHL). The five-foot-11-inch and 175 pound Kamloops native missed the first half of the year due to an injury at Kootenay Ice training camp.
“The work Robbie has put in this year to develop himself into a BCHL player as a 16 year old has been tremendous,” states Ryan Wade, head coach of the POE U-18 team. “Starting the year with an injury is always tough, but he put the work in and got the result he wanted by committing to Trail for the upcoming season.”
The speedy, hardworking, skilled forward came on in the latter half of the year and was a pleasant surprise for Head Coach Nick Deschenes of the Smoke Eaters at their annual spring camp in March.
“Robbie came to our camp and was one of the most dominant forwards,” said Deschenes “What surprised us the most was his age. He has a bright future as a hockey player and after speaking with him and his family, we got a better understanding of his goals to receive a scholarship and play NCAA. These fall in line with our priorities here in Trail so we are very excited to be a part of Robbie’s journey and development.”