Erik Johnson, the first overall pick in the 2006 Entry Draft, had spurned the temptation to turn pro and earn some instant cash. Instead, Erik lived his dream to play with the University of Minnesota, and had given hints that he intended to stay there for a few years.Well, the lure of the NHL must have finally got to the boy as he's signed on with the St. Louis Blues.
I talked to Erik today (Wednesday) and he told us he's not going back to the University of Minnesota and I got a big smile on my face," Blues President John Davidson told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
According to the Post-Dispatch, the contract will be for three years, with a base salary of $765,000 and an $85,000 signing bonus. The contract will also be loaded with incentives that could bring him anywhere from $2 to $3 million per season.
Widely considered the #1 prospect in the game today, Blues fans hope Johnson can bring them the same kind of 2-way defensive dominance that Chris Pronger or Al MacInnis brought to the club during the good old days.
While Johnson had offers to join the Blues right after being drafted, it was best for all involved that he went back to university. Why burn up a year of his contract to be overwhelmed at the NHL level, playing on a bad team? Now that Erik is one year older and more mature, he should be much more able to adapt to the NHL game.
The first step in Erik's development will be joining Team USA in the upcoming World Championships in Moscow. This will give fans their first chance to see how Erik does against some of the best in the world.
You can read more on Erik Johnson at Hockeysfuture.com
