Penguins set to strike free-agent deal

Defenseman Johnson has 5-year contract worth about $16 million pending

The Penguins intend to sign free-agent defenseman Jack Johnson to a five-year contract when free agency begins at noon Sunday, a source told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Wednesday.

The deal is expected to be for a total of around $16 million, with an average annual value of between $3 million and $3.5 million.

Things can obviously change between now and then, but there appears to be plenty of confidence that Johnson will come here for myriad reasons — and finances aren’t expected to get in the way.

Johnson, 31, is coming off a bad year with the Columbus Blue Jackets. He played a career-low average of 19:33 per game and produced just three goals and 11 points in 77 games, finishing with a minus-6 rating one year after playing to a plus-23.

The money would represent a decrease in salary from the seven-year, $30.5 million deal Johnson just completed. It’s believed the Penguins view Johnson as a top-four defenseman and could easily deploy him with Justin Schultz, assuming a fit is found.

Furthermore, playing in Pittsburgh is something Johnson wanted to do because of his relationship with Sidney Crosby. The two were teammates at Shattuck-St. Mary’s Prep School while going to high school in Minnesota. Crosby apparently has lobbied for Johnson to come here.

The Penguins took a huge step toward acquiring Johnson when they traded winger Conor Sheary and defenseman Matt Hunwick to Buffalo Wednesday for a conditional fourth-round pick.

That saved them $5.25 million, which is enough to fit Johnson and potentially make a run at a free-agent forward such as former Penguin Chris Kunitz, a player who also has the team’s interest.

iHeart Media host Mark Madden first reported the Penguins’ intent to sign Johnson to a five-year contract.