Eddie Johnstone Returns:

Here is a article that I received In my RBC Cup Newsletter on former Vernon Lakers Head Coach Eddie Johnstone.  Johnstone was an Assistant Coach with the Vernon Lakers during the 1987-1988 season before taking over as Head Coach during the 1988-1989 season after the firing of former Head Coach Ernie Gare.  Johnstone went on to coach the Lakers from 1987 to 1992 before moving onto the East Coast Hockey League's Johnstown Chiefs.  Johnstone was drafted #104 in the 6th Round by the NHL New York Rangers in the 1974 NHL Amateur Draft.

Eddie Johnstone's Player & Coaching Profile:

http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=2578

This was posted in the RBC Cup Newsletter:

Eddie Johnstone Returns

RBC Cup 2014 The Excitement Returns!

In the spring of 1990, Eddie Johnstone was the toast of the town.

He coached the Vernon Lakers to an upset win in the final of the 1990 Centennial Cup held in Vernon. His team did it in dramatic fashion against the heavily favoured New Westminster Bruins, erasing a three-goal deficit in the third period and winning the game 6-5 in overtime on Cam Sylven's breakaway goal.

"No question, it was one of the highlights of my hockey career," says Eddie. "We won again the next year, which was exciting, too. But it didn't have quite the same feeling as slaying the dragon in our barn."

"That 1990 win was especially sweet for me," he says, "because New West had fired me previously. But you should have seen the way this town celebrated. It was crazy!"

His coaching career followed a successful playing career that started in Vernon when he had 45 goals and 49 assists as a 16-year-old for the Vernon Essos in 1970- 71. After three years with the Medicine hat Tigers and a quick rise through the minor pro ranks, he played his first NHL game in 1976, for the New York Rangers.

In 426 NHL games for the rangers and Red Wings, he scored 122 goals and 136 assists. He retired after the 1986-87 season.

Eddie has joined the 2014 RBC Cup volunteer force, to help publicize the event and involve Laker players from his era.

"I'm sure the long-time Vernon fans would love to see the guys from our era," he says. "I hear that there even could be some alumni games. Heck, I might put on the blades myself."