The Adirondack Thunder announced Tuesday that they have signed two more players for the 2017-2018 season, forward Pierre-Luc Mercier and defenseman Stephen Johnson.
Mercier, who hails from Montreal, played in 157 games in a four-year college career at Bowling Green University in Kentucky, collecting 76 points on 22 goals and 54 assists. He led the team in assists in his sophomore year, where he had 17 of them and totaled 25 total points, a career-high. He led the Falcons to their first WCHA (Western College Hockey Association) championship game appearance in school history last spring by scoring four points during the conference playoffs. This will be his first season in professional hockey.
Johnson, who is from Mississauga, Ontario, played in college at SUNY Oswego. He held his own as a very solid offensive-defenseman, picking up 67 points on 18 goals and 49 assists in 109 total games played. Those 67 total points rank fourth in school history by a blueliner. Additionally, he led his team as well as the SUNYAC in points this season, with 30. His skill on both sides of the puck did not go unnoticed. He was named the SUNYAC defensive player of the year for the 2016-2017 season, and was recognized at a national level, being named a first-team All-American by the AHCA (American Collegiate Hockey Association) and was on the second team from the USCHO (United States College Hockey Organization).
The Thunder begin their season on Saturday, October 14 at the Cool Insuring Arena in Glens Falls as they take on the Brampton Beast.
