The Bruins captured lightning in a bottle over the weekend, signing veteran forward Tyler Johnson to a Professional Tryout Agreement (PTO).
A two-time Stanley Cup champion, Johnson, 34, spent the last three seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks. He netted 17 goals, 14 assists and 31 points in 67 games at the Madhouse on Madison last season. He finished fifth on the team in scoring.
The slick skating 5-foot-8, 185-pound forward is a highly versatile player capable of playing all three forward positions.
A proven scorer, the forward has skated in 738 career NHL games with Chicago and Tampa Bay, totaling 193 goals, 238 assists and 431 points with a plus-20 rating. He also carries plenty of playoff savvy with 32 goals and 65 points in 116 career Stanley Cup playoff games.
The Spokane, Washington native originally signed by the Tampa Bay Lightning as a free agent in 2011. A member of the famed “Triplets Line,” along with Ondrej Palat and Nikita Kucherov, Johnson helped guide the team to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2020 and 2021.
On paper, the addition of Johnson appears to be a brilliant move by Bruins General Manager Don Sweeney. He acquired a proven high-impact player at a more than reasonable price tag.
It also provides Bruins coach Jim Montgomery with plenty of interesting options as he opens training camp.
Read: Bruins Sign Tyler Johnson to PTO
Johnson effectively takes the place of Danton Heinen, who left for Vancouver as a free agent over the offseason. Unlike Heinen, however, Johnson is more of an offensive threat. He broke the 20-goal plateau on four different occasions, including a career-best 29 goals in 2018-19. He’s also still capable of putting up 40 plus points over the course of a full NHL season.
A right-handed shooting left wing/center, Johnson could fit into a number of positions throughout the Bruins lineup.
At first glance, Johnson appears tailor made for the Bruins checking line, skating alongside sophomore center Matthew Poitras and Trent Fredric.
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His veteran presence could be a calming influence on Poitras, guiding the youngster along much like he did with Conor Bedard in Chicago last season. He could also serve as center ice insurance in the event Poitras needs a little more NHL seasoning.
Given his flexibility, Johnson also could conceivably shift over to his off wing, filling the void left by Jake DeBrusk. The second line right wing spot already has a number of challengers for that role, however, with rookie Fabian Lysell, veteran Morgan Geekie and hulking forward Justin Brazeau also in the running.
Johnson also provides plenty of power play punch potting eight goals and 16 points on the man advantage last season. That will certainly be a welcomed addition to a team that could always use some added firepower.
