It's A Helluva Town

This is one of those articles where jokes about a primetime cartoon featured on the Fox Network could be plentiful. I'm opting not to do that, though, because there is a story that needs to be told about the Springfield Thunderbirds and the goalie they signed on Tuesday because it seems like the Florida Panthers are getting a good one who they've had lots of opportunities to watch. And while there's no guarantee that he'll play for the Panthers, it looks like he'll get every opportunity to grab a roster spot with the Thunderbirds.

The Thunderbirds signed three-time Kelly Cup champion Cam Johnson to an AHL deal on Tuesday as they look to solidify their puckstopper position. Johnson comes to the Thunderbirds having won three-straight Kelly Cups with the Florida Everblades where he was named as the ECHL playoff MVP in both 2022 and 2023. The 30 year-old netminder is 86-49-12 in 157 ECHL games with a 2.44 GAA and a .916 save percentage, and he adds a 47-13-3 record in 63 ECHL playoff games where he sports a 1.97 GAA and a .928 save percentage.

Statistics aside, it's the person that Springfield is getting that may be the difference in him staying with the Thunderbirds or heading to the Savannah Ghost Pirates. Johnson is a fantastic guy who is loved by teammates and coaches, and that goes a long way in the game. Even moreso, Johnson seems to have an appreciation for the fans who come to cheer for whatever team on which he's playing, and he connects with those fans through their passion for the game.

“My biggest appreciation from being a student is how nice the people were and how passionate they are about UND Hockey," Johnson told Chad O'Shea of the UND Alumni Association Foundation. "I would go out in public and get recognized, and that would turn into interesting conversations about their UND history. It was a really cool experience in North Dakota."

Springfield has an incredible history with AHL hockey, and I don't think Johnson will mind chatting with fans about that history and the ties the fans have to the team. He seems to be able to make connections easily as former UND teammate and long-time friend Christian Wolanin indicated, saying, "Not many can talk to Cam and not love him."

Those communication skills came in handy when Johnson was having all sorts of issues keeping food and liquids down during games. He told his coaches in Florida about the problems he was having as he was losing significant weight with his oft-seen vomiting problem.

"I saw three or four GI doctors," Johnson told Craig Handel of Estero Life Magazine. "They couldn't figure it out. It was a lot of trial and error."

"We said, 'How's he gonna get through this?'," head coach Brad Ralph recalled about Johnson's condition. He's a really good communicator and honest with how he's feeling. We had really good talks, and the coaching staff implemented a nutrition plan for him."

Johnson implemented the changes recommended by the Everblades, and the goalie that had won the NCAA national men's hockey championship returned in both body form and in spirit.

"He visibly looked different," Ralph said. "He was in better shape in every way. He corrected his anxiety. He was so driven when he came back. He was the goalie we thought he could be. He came back on fire."

That's what the Thunderbirds need and if Springfield fans think they're getting a goalie who just wants to serve as a backup netminder, they may want to settle in for a goalie controversy because Johnson's a gamer. In 2023, he vowed to play in all 72 scheduled Florida Everblades games, saying, "I enjoy playing, I tell everybody I'm a gamer, I'm not a practice goalie. When push comes to shove, I love playing games. I told them I wanted to play every single game, so you can start me every single game. It was nice. I got a nice load of games this year."

That kind of desire to play every game seems to be a common trait with Springfield goalies after they were treated to the likes of Joel Hofer, Charlie Lindgren, and Sam Montembeault over the years. All three of those goalies appear to have bright NHL future ahead of them, so there might be a chance for Johnson to catch fire and be invited to Sunrise for his first NHL start in his career.

I don't think anyone would be surprised if Johnson came into Thunderbirds' camp, played out of his mind, and gave the Florida Panthers something to think about when it came to finding his place on the depth chart. He's been a winner no matter where he's played, and the fans in Springfield are looking for that trend to continue with Johnson in the mix. No one is giving Johnson a roster just for showing up, though, and he seems to have the right mindset for the competition this fall.

"I've always been kind of good at reading plays and just being a goalie," Johnson told Elaine Shircliff of FullPressHockey.com. "When push comes to shove, your job is to stop the puck. I've been fortunate enough; I was blessed with a nice skill set. But obviously, you still have to work at it."

Based on that assessment, it looks like Springfield will be treated to another exceptionally-talented goaltender in their crease this year.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!