FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Thursday, March 4, 2004
SCOTTSDALE, ARIZONA --- Phoenix Coyotes General Manager Michael Barnett announced today that the Coyotes have acquired goaltender Brent Johnson from the St. Louis Blues in exchange for center Mike Sillinger.
This season, the 6-foot-3, 196-pound Johnson has split the season between St. Louis and Worcester (AHL), playing 10 games with the Blues and posting a 4-3-1 record with a 2.43 goals against average (GAA) and .901 save percentage. In 8 games with the Worcester Ice Cats this season, Johnson went 2-2-2 with a 2.30 GAA and a .910 save percentage.
In his 5th NHL season, the 26-year-old native of Farmington, Michigan has played his entire NHL career with St. Louis, compiling a 76-47-12 record with a 2.26 GAA, .903 save percentage and 12 shutouts in 143 career games. Last season, Johnson played in 38 games with St. Louis, posting a 16-13-5 record with a 2.47 GAA, .900 save percentage and 2 shutouts. In 2002-03, he became one of six active goaltenders to collect 10-or-more shutouts in his first 100 games. Johnson was named NHL Player of the Week for the period ending Dec. 29, 2002, posting four consecutive victories, a 1.25 goals-against average, a .951 save percentage and one shutout over that span.
During the 2001-02 season, Johnson set career highs in games played (58), wins (34) and shutouts (5). He ranked 5th in the NHL in wins and 8th in GAA (2.18). He recorded a franchise and career high 10 game winning streak from January 3 to January 23 with a .910 save percentage and a 2.07 GAA. Johnson also appeared in 10 playoff games with the Blues, posting a 5-5 record with a 1.83 GAA and a .929 save percentage. He became the first goaltender in NHL history to record shutouts in his first three playoff wins and tied an NHL record by becoming the fourth netminder in NHL history to register three consecutive shutouts in a playoff series. Johnson tied an NHL record held by seven other goaltenders that collected three shutouts in a playoff series. He holds the Blues record for consecutive shutout minutes during the postseason (206:45). He also became the third goalie in NHL history to record back-to-back shutouts in his first two playoff wins (Gerry Cheevers was the first netminder to achieve this feat with Boston in 1969).
In his rookie season (2000-01), Johnson played 31 games with the Blues, posting a 19-9-2 record with a 2.17 GAA, a .907 save percentage and 4 shutouts. He ranked 5th in the NHL and 2nd among NHL rookie goaltenders in GAA. He also played in two playoff games allowing two goals while posting a 1.94 GAA in 62 minutes played.
Johnson was originally drafted by the Colorado Avalanche (5th choice, 129th overall) in the 1995 Entry Draft. He was traded to St. Louis by Colorado for San Jose’s 3rd round choice (previously acquired, Colorado selected Rick Berry) in the 1997 Entry Draft on May 30, 1997.
The 5-foot-11, 195-pound Sillinger has played in 60 games with the Coyotes this season, recording 8-6-14 and 54 penalty minutes with a minus-14 rating. The 32-year-old native of Regina, Saskatchewan averaged 15:21 minutes of ice time per game. He was acquired by the Coyotes from Dallas along with a conditional draft choice for defenseman Teppo Numminen on July 22, 2003. In his 14th NHL season, Sillinger has collected 161-227-388 and 493 PIM in 813 career games with 9 NHL teams.
PELLETIER REASSIGNED TO SPRINGFIELD
The Coyotes also announced today that goaltender Jean-Marc Pelletier has been reassigned to the Springfield Falcons, the Coyotes’ top minor league affiliate in the American Hockey League (AHL). Since being recalled to the Coyotes on Feb. 10, the 6-foot-3, 209-pound Pelletier has played in 4 games with the Coyotes, collecting a 1-1-0 record, 4.11 GAA and .857 SV%. He also recorded his first NHL win on Feb. 20 vs. Columbus. Pelletier has played in 30 games with the Falcons this season, posting a record of 7-16-4 with a 2.47 GAA, .927 SV% and two shutouts.
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