BOISE, ID – The Idaho Steelheads (@Steelheads), proud ECHL (@ECHL) affiliate of the Dallas Stars (@DallasStars), and Steelheads Head Coach & Director of Hockey Operations Everett Sheen announced today that the club has signed defenseman Jake Johnson and forward Jordan Steinmetz to ECHL contracts for the 2025-26 season. 

Johnson, 27, enters his third professional season, first with the Steelheads, after being acquired by Idaho from Tahoe on Jun. 20 completing future considerations deal which sent Slava Demin to the Knight Monsters earlier in the season. The 6-foot, 185lb left-handed shooting defender produced 21 points (4G, 17A) in 61 games with the Knight Monsters this past year. During the 2023-24 campaign as a rookie, he skated in 43 games with the Fort Wayne Komets notching 19 points (3G, 16A) in 19 games. The Bloomington, MN native made his pro debut with Fort Wayne at the end of the 2022-23 season scoring two goals in three games. 

Prior to his professional hockey, Johnson helped Quinnipiac University to a NCAA National Championship in 2023 where he skated in 39 games registering 15 points (4G, 11A). He spent the previous three seasons at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI) appearing in 107 career games collecting 30 points (3G, 27A). He played parts of two seasons in the United States Hockey League (USHL) from 2016-18 with the Sioux Falls Stampede and Cedar Rapids RoughRiders.  

Steinmetz, 26, enters his second professional season, first with Idaho, after tallying 42 points (25G, 17A) helping the Snackpoint Eaters Limburg of the Central European Hockey League (CEHL) to a league championship. The 5-foot-8, 173lb left-handed shooting forward played his final season of collegiate hockey at Minnesota State University during the 2023-24 campaign serving as an assistant captain notching 11 points (2G, 9A) in 32 games. The Chippewa Falls, WI native played his first four seasons at St. Lawrence University from 2019-23 serving as team captain during his senior season finishing his four-year career with 35 points (16G, 19A) in 122 career games. 

Prior to collegiate hockey, Steinmetz played in the United States Hockey League (USHL) with the Sioux City Musketeers during the 2018-19 campaign tallying 26 points (8G, 18A) in 60 games. He notched 19 points (9G, 10A) in 55 games with the Janesville Jets of the North American Hockey League (NAHL) the season before. 

The Idaho Steelheads kick-off their 27^th on ice season October 17^th at Tahoe and will host the Utah Grizzlies on October 24^th for their home opener. Call the Steelheads Front Office at 208-383-0080 for Steelheads ticket packages for the upcoming season. Stay up to date with all things Steelheads on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram throughout the summer.