TENSE TIME FOR TYLER
Veteran Johnson has been part of trade-deadline talks before
If the Blackhawks deal forward Tyler Johnson before the NHL trade deadline Friday, it would be the first time he has switched teams during a season. The only previous trade in his career — from the Lightning to the Hawks in 2021 — happened during the offseason.
But it wouldn’t be the first time Johnson thought he had been traded during the season.
In 2013, during the first 14 games of Johnson’s tenure in Tampa, then-Lightning goalie Ben Bishop prank-called him, pretending to be then-general manager Steve Yzerman and telling him he had been traded. A laughing Johnson retold the story Saturday.
‘‘They used to have that old app that you could call using a different number,’’ Johnson said. ‘‘I remember sitting in my hotel room at that time — because I didn’t even have a place then — and it just popped up as Steve Yzerman. I was freaking out.
‘‘I was like, ‘Hey, Mr. Yzerman.’ Then you start talking to him, and I was like, ‘Ah, [bleep], Bish!’ I knew right away. But, yeah, it’s a little nerve-wracking.’’
Bishop, whose excellent career later was cut short by a knee injury, apparently tricked quite a few rookies on those Lightning teams with such pranks, which Johnson believes ‘‘you can’t quite get away with anymore’’ in the NHL.
That reflects what an anxiety-inducing week this can be for players around the league. The Hawks certainly experienced that stress the last two years, when everyone knew GM Kyle Davidson was willing to sell off anyone for sufficient draft-pick compensation.
This year should be much quieter and, therefore, much less tense and turbulent in the locker room. But a few guys — such as Johnson and fellow pending unrestricted free-agent forwards Colin Blackwell and Anthony Beauvillier — will have to stay at least somewhat on their toes.
‘‘It’s pretty hard to not completely think about it,’’ Johnson said. ‘‘But right now, I’m just focused on our team and playing the best we can.
‘‘Who knows what will happen? I’ve been in a lot of rumors in a lot of years, so it’s just how it is.’’
With 12 goals in 45 games this season, Johnson is scoring at a 22-goal pace for a full season. Although the fact he missed 15 games because of a foot injury likely will prevent him from getting there, he needs only three goals to achieve his best goal-scoring season since 2018-19. On the other hand, his six assists are less impressive.
Since returning from that injury after the All-Star break, Johnson has five points in 10 games (entering play Saturday). He also is tied for second on the team with 22 shots on goal — trailing defenseman Seth Jones and equal with Blackwell — during that span. He just hasn’t been able to appreciate that individual success much.
‘‘It’s hard when our team’s not necessarily doing very well,’’ he said. ‘‘I don’t really want to look at individual stuff [because] it’s a team game. Right now, we’re just so hesitant. We’re not working together, and ... when you’re playing like that, it’s tough on everybody. We’ve really got to figure that out. But I feel good physically, mentally [and] that kind of thing.’’
Johnson has found a bit of a niche down low on the power play and in six-on-five formations, in particular. His ability to help create more space and opportunities for rookie Connor Bedard in those situations is one reason Davidson won’t be willing to dump him for just anything.
‘‘He’s been in a lot of different situations, [so] you can use that guy,’’ coach Luke Richardson said. ‘‘He’s very versatile. It’s nice to put him with some younger guys.’’
Johnson’s $5 million salary-cap hit might be another hindrance to a possible trade. The Hawks only can retain it down to $2.5 million, which is still above his market value.