Under normal circumstances, signing two of their most reliable and experienced defensemen would be the big story of the day for the Johnstown Chiefs.
While important to the ECHL team’s success in the upcoming season, Thursday’s announcement that Mike Knight and Greg Gallagher each had signed contracts to return to the Chiefs was overshadowed by Arena United Inc.’s announcement that effective Thursday it no longer will manage the Chiefs.
Owner Neil Smith will have complete control over the franchise.
Regardless of who is in charge when the first puck is dropped, having both Knight and Gallagher on the blue line should benefit the Chiefs.
The veterans were regular defensive partners last season.
“We’re thrilled,” Chiefs General Manager Bill Bredin said.
“They are both hard-working, consistent performers who are also great representatives of the Chiefs organization and the Johnstown community. We expect they will provide leadership and solidify our back end.”
Knight, 24, will play his third season with the Chiefs and his fifth as a professional. Last season he netted five goals and
25 points in 44 games with the Chiefs. Knight led the team’s defensemen in scoring, but also was capable of playing tough.
He had 103 penalty minutes and had a plus-8 rating.
His two-season totals in Johnstown include 14 goals,
59 points and 240 penalty minutes in 99 games. He has a plus-22 rating overall.
Gallagher, 25, will play his third season in Johnstown. In 67 games last year he had four goals and a career-high 23 points. In 112 games, Gallagher has six goals and
32 points with the Chiefs.
Both players joined the Chiefs after being signed by former coach Ian Herbers, who left the team on Monday to accept an assistant coaching position with the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals. Bredin said the Chiefs have received interest from a group of solid candidates and should soon narrow a list to five top contenders.
Chiefs
Chiefs ‘thrilled’ about signings
- Chiefs
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Slapshot Cup expands to 18 teams in second year
The Slapshot Cup Hockey Tournament has expanded for its second year in Johnstown.
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Former players rally to help ‘Ziggy'
Randy Rowe felt it was so important to wear the specially designed Ziggy’s Fundraiser sweater that he juggled his schedule and planned a 91⁄2-hour drive from Belleville, Ontario, to Richland Township.
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Johnstown sufferes an epic loss
The final seconds ticked down in the Johnstown Chiefs’ ECHL existence on Saturday night, and even though the hometown team trailed by four goals, a standing-room-only crowd began chanting, “Let’s go Chiefs.”
That chant would be nothing out of the ordinary on most nights. But this game was the last game.
Twenty-two ECHL seasons and thousands of memories came to a conclusion when the Chiefs dropped a 5-3 contest to Elmira at Cambria County War Memorial Arena. -
Mike Mastovich: ‘A sad night for Johnstown’
Scott Allen stood on the New York Islanders bench during Saturday’s game against the Ottawa Senators.
Long Island and the NHL is about as far from Johnstown and the ECHL as one gets on a sunny afternoon. -
Joe Gorden: City teams usually on thin ice
A sellout crowd turned out on Saturday to say goodbye to the ECHL’s
Johnstown Chiefs in their last game at Cambria County War Memorial Arena. The irony was obvious. -
Nailers to play 11 games in Johnstown next year
The thought of loyal Johnstown Chiefs fans rooting for the Wheeling Nailers might have been difficult to grasp a few months ago.
But next season, Johnstown’s hockey fans have no other choice. -
Mike Mastovich: 10 Defining moments in Chiefs history
So, this is it.
Twenty-two ECHL seasons and 1,518 regular-season games.
It ends tonight at a sold-out Cambria County War Memorial Arena. -
Chiefs drop final road game
The Johnstown Chiefs dropped the final road game in team history on Friday night, falling behind early and failing to catch up to the Cincinnati Cyclones in a 5-1 loss in front of more than 10,000 fans at U.S. Bank Arena.
- Arena confirms: Wheeling Nailers to play some games in Johnstown next year
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From goalies to grinders to scorers, the Chiefs have seen it all
Nineteen seasons of covering the Johnstown Chiefs have been filled with numerous ups and downs, unexpected twists and more than enough bizarre antics.
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