Johnson rejoins Mariners

PORTLAND, Maine – The Maine Mariners announced the signing of forward Carter Johnson for the 2024-25 season. Johnson was a trade deadline acquisition in 2022-23 and played a major role in the Mariners playoff run that spring.

Johnson, 28, was born in Gimli, Manitoba and first joined the Mariners in March of 2023, when he was acquired from the Wheeling Nailers in exchange for forward Keltie Jeri-Leon. In 14 regular-season games with Maine, he registered 13 points (4g-9a), but his big moment came in the postseason. In Game 4 of the North Division Semifinals against the Reading Royals, Johnson netted a hat trick – all in the third period – to lead the Mariners to a 7-3 victory, tying the series at two. Johnson put up a total of five points in the six-game series.

During the 2023-24 season, Johnson played in the United Kingdom for the Dundee Stars of the Elite Ice Hockey League. In 54 games, he recorded 35 points (13g-22a). In addition to Maine and Wheeling, Johnson spent time with the Wichita Thunder, during his rooking season of 2021-22. He has 93 points in 141 career ECHL games.

Johnson’s grandfather, Bob Leiter, played nearly 350 career games in the National Hockey League, including five seasons with the Boston Bruins.