Bruins finally make long-awaited addition to NHL roster
Tight against the cap and still figuring out the complexion of their roster, the Bruins had told unrestricted free agent Tyler Johnson to be patient and hang tight.
And Johnson, who had attended training camp with the Bruins on a tryout and with the hopes of extending his NHL career, proved to be more than willing.
That patience was finally rewarded on Monday, as the Bruins and Johnson came to terms on a one-year contract worth the league minimum $775,000.
Capable of playing all three forward positions, Johnson posted one goal and an assist during his four preseason appearances with the Black and Gold, and was one of the club’s more potent offensive weapons throughout that limited sample. Johnson’s performance was even enough for the B’s to hold him out of their preseason finale, with Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery noting that Johnson had shown enough to the coaching staff and management to where they felt another game was not needed.
Johnson’s value to the Bruins will be with that aforementioned versatility, especially for a Boston roster that has had its struggles at five-on-five, and within the middle-six forward group. Even after a weekend sweep of a back-to-back, the Bruins departed for a Tuesday night head-to-head with the Maple Leafs averaging 1.99 goals per 60 minutes of five-on-five play, which ranks 7th-worst in the NHL.
Based on his preseason usage, Johnson may be an ideal fit for the right side of Boston’s second line with Charlie Coyle, or could help add more scoring punch to a line featuring second-year pro Matt Poitras.
A veteran of 738 NHL games over 12 seasons, and a two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Lightning in 2020 and 2021, Johnson has posted 193 goals and 431 points since 2013-14.
