The Port Moody Panthers are pleased to announce that 2005-born defender Johnny Lopez has signed with the Lindsay Muskies of the Ontario Junior Hockey League for the 2023-24 season.
The 5-foot-11, 170-pound blueliner had two goals and six assists in 28 games with the Panthers during the 2022-23 season after being acquired via trade with the Abbotsford Pilots on Nov. 10, 2022. He had eight assists in 17 games for the Pilots prior to the deal.
The native of Coquitlam, B.C. is entering his third season of junior hockey after finishing tied for third on the Panthers in game-winning goals and second among all defenders on the team in scoring in 2022-23. In 2021-22, he played his rookie season as a 16-year-old with the Sicamous Eagles of the Kootenay International Junior Hockey League and finished with two goals and eight assists in 37 games.
Lopez is an alumnus of the Coquitlam Minor Hockey Association, where he played for the U18 Chiefs in 2020-21 and the U15 Chiefs in 2019-20.
He is the first player from last season’s Panthers team to sign with a team at a higher level for 2023-24. Lopez is the 12th player in the last eight seasons to sign with a Major Junior or Junior A team directly from the Panthers.
