Bobcats Bring in ND State MVP Johnson
BISMARCK, ND – The Bismarck Bobcats have acquired 2017 North Dakota State Tournament MVP and Outstanding Senior Athlete Grant Johnson of Grand Forks Central High, completing a January trade with the Minnesota Magicians.
Johnson just wrapped up a decorated high school career with the Knights that culminated with a perfect 27-0-0 season and a state championship for Central. The forward led all scorers in North Dakota with 85 points on 29 goals and 56 assists in 26 appearances—21 points more than anyone else in the state.
“I’m very excited to head to Bismarck. I’ve heard great things from guys who have played for the Bobcats,” expressed Johnson, who put up 202 career points (76g, 126a) in three years with the Knights, “and being able to stay in my home state for the next step of my hockey career is something I’ve very happy about.”
Bringing in the 1999-born forward—who also averaged a point per game for Great Plains in the Upper Midwest High School Elite League this season—is the back end a deal struck between the Bobcats and Magicians: on January 19, the Cats dealt winger Parker Mismash to Minnesota for future considerations—which ultimately became the player rights to Johnson.
“Grant is a player that has speed and a good skill set. We like his hockey IQ: he is really good at finding the quiet areas in the offensive zone and creating offense for his linemates,” analyzed Bobcats assistant coach and director of player personnel Garrett Roth. “He is a proven point-producer from a great program with Coach [Grant] Paranica at Central and the honors he earned this year speak to the caliber of player that he is.”
Johnson will join the Bobcats in advance of a two-game home series against the archrival Minot Minotauros that is set to start Friday at the VFW Sports Center.
Following Saturday’s contest, the Bobcats will be auctioning off their 20th Anniversary home white jerseys live in the lobby of the VFW Sports Center.
Tickets are on sale now for the last two regular season meetings between the Bobcats and Minotauros: fans can buy and print tickets online 24 hours a day at BismarckBobcats.com or charge by phone at 222-3300.
Friday’s home showdown will be broadcast locally on the radio home of Bobcat Hockey, Super Talk 1270 AM, and worldwide on HockeyTV.com–the web television partner of the North American Hockey League–with pregame coverage starting at 6:50pm.
Pro-rated season tickets are now on sale for the Bobcats’ landmark platinum anniversary campaign fans can get more information or reserve their seats for all of Season Twenty now by calling 222-3300.