VANCOUVER, B.C. - The Alaska Nanooks rookie goaltender,
Chad Johnson (Calgary, AB/Brooks-AJHL), became the highest draft pick in program history as he was selected 125th overall in the fifth round by the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League Saturday during the 2006 NHL Entry Draft at the GM Palace in Vancouver.
The 6-2 183-pound netminder became the 3rd skater in program history to be chosen in the NHL Entry Draft while enrolled at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and the first Nanook draftee in 15 years.
At the UAF hockey postseason awards banquet, he received the Doug Desorcie Top Rookie award after a powerful rookie campaign. In 18 games played for Alaska during the 2005-06 season, Johnson posted a 6-7-4 record, allowing 42 goals with a 2.56 GAA and a .917 save percentage.
He stormed onto the collegiate scene going 3-0-2 in his first five starts, including a 38 save performance in a 3-3 tie at No. 1 Minnesota opposite Jeff Frazee (NJD '05) in his first career start.
He held Phil Kessell (University of Minnesota), who was the 5th overall pick in the 1st round by Boston, to just one assist while saving all six shots fired by Kessell. He posted his first collegiate victory in his second start, a 5-2 victory at Ferris State, making 35 saves. On Dec. 9, Johnson came off the bench with his team down 2-0 and made 19 saves as the Nanooks battled back for a 4-4 tie against eventual CCHA Champion Michigan State.
On Jan. 7, he backstopped the Nanooks to a 4-2 victory over No. 7 Michigan opposite Billy Sauer, who was chosen by Colorado in the 7th round and 201st overall, with a 33 save effort.
One night after Alaska upset No. 1 Miami, Johnson was between the pipes for the rematch opposite Jeff Zatkoff, who was taken as the 74th overall pick by the Los Angeles Kings in the third round, turning aside 25 of 27 shots in a 2-1 loss.
Johnson was the sixth current NCAA player to be selected out of the 18 total who were drawn from the collegiate ranks, and the second such netminder, after Miami's Zaktoff.
The last Nanook skater selected from UAF was Chris O'Rourke, who was taken 245th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 12th round of the 1991 draft, which was held at the Memorial Auditorium in Buffalo, New York.
The only other player in program history to be drafted while attending UAF was current assistant coach,
Wade Klippenstein. He was picked up on June 16, 1990, as the 232nd overall choice by the Quebec Nordiques in the 12th round.
Johnson became the second NHL draftee on the Nanooks' 2006-07 roster, as he joins rookie defenseman
Tyler Eckford (Langley, BC/South Surrey-BCHL). Eckford was drafted by the New Jersey Devils with the 217th overall pick in the 7th round of the 2004 National Hockey League Entry Draft following his rookie season (2003-04) with the South Surrey Eagles.
-ALASKA NANOOKS-
