Boston Bruins sign 700-game NHL veteran mid-season
The Boston Bruins may be looking for some additional depth up front, and now they've inked veteran forward Tyler Johnson to a one-year deal.
Despite a stretch in which they lost five of six games early in the year, the Boston Bruins have now rebounded and sit at 6-6-1 through the first 13 games of the 2024/25 season. However, there have been questions about the inexperience in their forward group, and now, the team have made a signing official to potentially help with that.
According to Frank Seravalli of the Daily Faceoff, the team have now signed veteran forward Tyler Johnson to a one-year deal after the 34-year old impressed during his PTO with the AHL's Providence Bruins.
The deal carries a cap hit of $775k, and after showing his dedication to pushing for a roster spot by remaining in Boston after his PTO, it's safe to say that this deal was inevitable for both sides.
While Johnson may not be the player he once was, he has skated in 56 and 67 games with the Chicago Blackhawks over the past two years, tallying 32 and 31 points in that time, showing that he's still a great depth option for contending teams. With Matthew Poitras and Mark Kastelic serving as the Bruins bottom-six centers, a player like Johnson would be perfect for depth or to potentially slide in for either one if needed on a long-term basis, and given that the team rank 27th in the NHL in goals scored this season, his signing certainly won't hurt.
Over his career, Johnson has skated in 738 games at the NHL level, tallying a solid 193 goals and 431 points over that stretch, so while he may never be the 72 point scorer he was at his peak with Tampa Bay a decade ago, it's safe to say that he'll be an upgrade and a great depth piece for the Bruins moving forward this season.
