Johnson set to sign with Penguins
Any thought that Jack Johnson would return to the Blue Jackets this season was put to bed when he was scratched for a first-round playoff series against the Washington Capitals.
It doesn’t appear that Johnson is going far, however.
According to multiple reports Wednesday out of Pittsburgh, the Penguins — a divisional rival team that has knocked the Blue Jackets out of the playoffs in two of their past three trips — plan to sign the veteran defenseman when NHL free agency opens Sunday.
The Pittsburgh PostGazette reported that the Penguins are expected to land Johnson with a five-year contract worth around $16 million.
When Johnson came to the Jackets in the Jeff Carter trade with Los Angeles in 2012, it was in the first of a seven-year deal he signed with the Kings that paid him an average of $4.4 million. That contract expires with Johnson becoming an unrestricted free agent.
This was a strange Jack Johnson, left, saw his playing time diminished as last season went on. He was scratched from the Blue Jackets’ first-round playoff series against the Capitals. season for Johnson, whose playing time and responsibilities diminished as the season went on. In January, it was learned that Johnson — who became one of the team’s assistant captains after coach John Tortorella took it away from Brandon Dubinsky in October — had gone to general manager Jarmo Kekalainen asking for a trade.
"I know I have a lot to give,” Johnson said then, "and I know I can help this team out a lot.”
Although his playing
time initially increased after those trade requests became public, the Jackets essentially replaced him when they acquired former Pittsburgh defenseman Ian Cole at the trade deadline.
In six-plus seasons with the Jackets, Johnson played in 445 games and scored 36 goals with 154 points. He was especially good in the playoffs and gave Pittsburgh’s Sidney Crosby some fits. Those two are close off the ice with reports that Crosby campaigned for the
Penguins to bring in his friend.
In 11 postseason games with the Jackets, Johnson scored four goals with nine points. His final game in a Blue Jackets uniform appears to have come April 7 at Nashville.
The Jackets are also expected to lose forward Matt Calvert to free agency, although bringing back Cole is an option. Mark Letestu, re-acquired by the Jackets at the deadline, is not expected to return.
Earlier this week, Kekalainen made qualifying offers to the three restricted free agents on the NHL roster: Oliver Bjorkstrand, Ryan Murray and Boone Jenner.
The Blue Jackets made a trade with the Chicago Blackhawks, acquiring goaltender Jean-Francois Berube for forward Jordan Schroeder.
Berube, 26, has played in 34 career NHL games with the Blackhawks and the New York Islanders, going 9-10-4 with a 3.39 goals-against average. He is expected to be the starter for minor-league Cleveland.
Schroeder scored a goal with an assist in 21 games with the Jackets last season in mostly a fourth-line role. He played in 48 games for Cleveland.
After being passed over in the first three NHL drafts he was eligible, Veini Vehvilainen was very happy to hear his named called Saturday when the Blue Jackets took the 21-yearold goalie in the sixth round.
Vehvilainen had a strong season in Finland, backstopping Karpat to the league title. His size — he’s listed at 6 feet 1 — is one reason why he went overlooked by NHL teams.
“It has taken a lot of work and that’s why it feels very good,” Vehvilainen said after he participated in his first prospect camp workout with the Blue Jackets. “This is a good team and there are a lot of young guys.”
Vehvilainen is expected to spend next season in Finland as well but could challenge for a goalie spot with the Blue Jackets or Cleveland in 2019.
The Jackets’ prospect camp wraps up Thursday with a pair of on-ice sessions beginning at 10 a.m. The full squad will be back on the ice around 4:30 p.m. for the annual 3-on-3 tournament. There is no admission charge to the Ice Haus for all on-ice workouts.