Continuing to add to their forward core, the Pittsburgh Penguins have announced they have agreed to a one-year, $800K contract with Andreas Johnsson. Johnsson most recently played for the San Jose Sharks after a trade deadline deal with the New Jersey Devils.
Included in the deal to land the Devils Timo Meier, Johnsson is ready for a bounce-back year. Severely limited in playing time under head coach Lindy Ruff during the 2022-23 NHL season, Johnsson only managed to play in 13 games last year, mostly for the Sharks and tallied three points (all assists) in total. A true-to-fashion change of scenery candidate, Johnsson will be looking to find his game in Pittsburgh.
Not so long ago, Johnsson was projected to be a regular top-six forward. During the 2018-19 season, Johnsson scored 43 points for the Toronto Maple Leafs in 73 games, incredibly only averaging just under 14 minutes of ice time per night. Unfortunately for Johnsson, as his ice time increased, his production took a dive. Just over one year later, the Maple Leafs would trade him to the Devils for depth forward, Joey Anderson.
Johnsson has shown flashes during his time in New Jersey and his time in Toronto as being a particularly above-average forward on the defensive side of the puck, and he will most certainly need to recapture that in Pittsburgh. By their current roster construction, Johnsson will most likely feature in the team’s bottom six, where defensive responsibility will be just as important as his offensive upside.
God Dubas loves his boys doesn’t he
Low risk signing that could pay off
Dubas getting one of his guys from his Toronto days!
Spending on these guys is cutting into cap space which has me thinking they may no longer be serious contenders for Karlsson.
Unless they are getting SJ to eat more and send out a contract like Petry.
I like this.
He either beats out Drew O’Connor, who underwhelmed last year after showing real promise his rookie year, or he forces DOC to raise his game and gets waived. All upside.
Regarding Karlsson, DOC filing for arbitration allows for another buyout window, so Petry or Granlund could still get sent packing to free up cap space. Likely Petry is traded and Granlund is bought out and that should give them the space they need with SJ eating some of it (but not half or close).