Northwest Notes Sept. 15, 2021

Chiefs to retire Tyler Johnson’s jersey on Feb. 4

SPOKANE — The Spokane Chiefs announced the franchise will officially retire the No. 9 on Feb. 4, 2022, in honor of former player and longtime NHL star Tyler Johnson.

The Spokane native, who played with the Coeur d'Alene Lakers before joining the Chiefs, is expected to be on hand for the recognition to raise his number over the ice in a pre-game ceremony at Spokane Arena.

Johnson, who helped the Tampa Bay Lightning win the last two Stanley Cup championships, was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks during the offseason. The Blackhawks are scheduled to play host to Minnesota on Feb. 2, then the NHL takes a three-week break for the Olympics.

Johnson joins forward Ray Whitney (14) as the second player to have his number retired by the Chiefs.

“What is there to say about Johnny that hasn’t been said already?” Chiefs managing partner Bobby Brett said in a news release. “Tyler was a champion here in Spokane, was a champion in the AHL and is now twice a champion in the NHL. Even more importantly, he has been an outstanding ambassador for our city, our organization and the hockey community here in the Inland Northwest.

“Just like Ray (Whitney), Tyler’s number will hang high in the rafters at Spokane Arena, alongside the WHL and Memorial Cup Championship banners he helped our team earn in 2008,” Brett added. “We couldn’t be more excited to give him this honor.”

Born and raised in Spokane, Johnson had a prolific junior career with the Chiefs, piling up 128 goals and 282 points in 266 games. He helped the team win a WHL Championship and Memorial Cup (CHL) in 2008, earning MVP honors during the Ed Chynoweth Cup Final (WHL). He won the WHL’s Brad Hornung Trophy as Most Sportsmanlike Player for the 2010-11 season as he capped his Chiefs tenure with a 115-point campaign, including a league-best 53 goals, helping the club return to the Western Conference Final. During his junior career he also represented the United States, winning a gold medal at the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championship.

Johnson signed as a free agent with the Tampa Bay Lightning organization and spent two seasons with their AHL affiliate, scoring 133 points (68 goals, 65 assists) in 137 games over two seasons. He won a Calder Cup Championship (AHL) with the Norfolk Admirals in 2012, chipping in 14 points (7G-7A) during the extended playoff run. He opened even more eyes in his second season, winning 2012-13 AHL MVP honors after posting 37 goals and 65 points in just 62 regular season games, adding 21 points (10G-11A) in 18 postseason contests.

Johnson first became an NHL regular in 2013 and he has turned in 361 points including 161 goals in 589 career regular season games over eight full seasons. The speedy forward was named to the NHL’s All-Rookie Team in 2013, competed for the United States at the 2014 IIHF World Championship, and was nominated as an NHL All-Star in 2015. He was also a consistent playoff performer for the Bolts, scoring 32 goals and 33 assists for 65 points in 116 games, leading the NHL in postseason points during his first run to the Stanley Cup Final in 2015. He chipped in seven points in each of Tampa Bay’s last two runs to the Stanley Cup championship.

The Chiefs’ home games on Feb. 4-5 will both honor Johnson. Friday, Feb. 4 will be the on-ice retirement ceremony and a Tyler Johnson banner giveaway, while Saturday, Feb. 5 will be a Tyler Johnson bobblehead giveaway.

Acliese III Joins EWU basketball team as Riley’s 11th newcomer

Eastern Washington University men's basketball coach David Riley announced the addition of redshirt junior Linton Acliese III, a 6-6 forward.

Originally from Richmond, Calif., he graduated from Manvel High School in Manvel, Texas, in 2016. After graduation, he played for two seasons at Cabrillo College in Aptos, Calif., before one full season at San Francisco State University. Acliese is the 11th newcomer on this year's team, which reached the NCAA tournament but saw several key players leave after head coach Shantay Legans took the head coaching job at Portland.

Acliese comes to EWU with 83 games of experience in three seasons of collegiate basketball, including 80 starts.

After a medical redshirt season in 2018-19, Acliese started in 27 of 28 games and averaged 17.9 points, 7.6 rebounds, and just over one steal per game in 2019-20 at San Francisco State. He was voted First-Team All-CCAA (California Collegiate Athletic Association).

His nickname is "Boogie."