Former Devil Signed And Released From ECHL

The ECHL Allen Americans signed and dropped former New Jersey Devils' 2012 draft pick Ben Johnson within 24 hours. 

On Monday, the team announced that Johnson had signed with the Allen Americans in the ECHL. 

In a statement on Tuesday, the team announced that they had revoked their offer. 

"After discussions today with ownership and management, the Americans made the decision to release forward Ben Johnson," the team statement said.

Johnson, 31, was convicted of rape and spent time in prison from 2016 to 2019 for his sexual deviance. 

Before his conviction, Johnson was selected 90th overall in the third round of the 2012 NHL entry draft. Johnson did not appear in a game for the Devils. 

Johnson previously played in the AHL for three seasons with the Albany Devils. He also played in the ECHL for five seasons with several teams. 

Last season, Johnson played in Slovakia with HK Spisska Nova Ves and HK Dukla Michalovce.

He was set to join the Allen Americans and play in the ECHL. 

Before he was released, Head Coach Steve Martinson shared his thoughts on the signing of Johnson in a press release from the team.

“Ben Johnson is a top-producing center who will give us more speed and scoring up front.” 

Johnson has since been released.

The ECHL Allen Americans will play on Wednesday against the Tulsa Oilers. 

Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for THN's latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.

For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.