Derik Johnson enters his third season as an assistant coach and eighth with the Kings organization, having previously served as a skills coach and assistant video coach after joining the team in 2018. Prior to his time with the Kings, Johnson served as a video coach for the Bakersfield Condors of the American Hockey League (AHL) during the 2017-18 season where he helped the Condors achieve a 31-27-10 record.
Johnson played collegiate hockey as a defenseman at the University of Minnesota-Duluth (NCAA), tallying 17 points (2-15=17) in 108 games over four seasons. In 2011-12, despite playing only 11 games, Johnson tallied five points (1-4=5), good for 0.45 points-per-game, the second-highest PPG among all freshman skaters behind only forward Caleb Herbert (41 GP, 14-19=33). Johnson helped Minnesota-Duluth to two NCAA tournament appearances in 2011 and 2015.
He went on to play professionally in the ECHL from 2014-17, tallying 29 points (8-21=29) in 129 appearances between the Missouri Mavericks and Reading Royals. In 2015-16, he made his AHL debut, skating in four games with the Springfield Falcons, before returning to Reading for one more season in 2016-17, where he was one of only four skaters on the team to play in at least 70 games and established career-highs in goals (7), assists (12) and points (19).
A native of Pittsburgh, Pa., Derik is the son of former NHL defenseman Jim Johnson, who also served as an NHL assistant coach and played hockey at The University of Minnesota-Duluth for four seasons as well.
