Whether the Chicago Blackhawks wanted to bring Tyler Johnson back next season or not, the veteran forward made it clear he would not be returning to Chicago. “I’d like to play meaningful hockey and get back to the playoffs,” Johnson said once the Blackhawks’ season ended in April.
After Johnson made his decision, general manager Kyle Davidson brought in a lot of talent through UFA signings and a trade to fill out the roster. The Blackhawks appear to be much more competitive in 2024-25 than they have been in recent seasons when Johnson was a part of the team.
It’s been more than three weeks since the start of free agency and Johnson is still without a contract. Many teams have met their needs and adding more talent, even if it is cheap, is not in the plans. This eliminated many potential candidates from the list of teams Johnson hoped to sign with and have a chance to win again.
“That’s where (the playoffs) are,” Johnson said. “It’s where I’ve always loved it. I’ve always wanted to be a part of it, and when you don’t, especially the last few years here doing what we’re doing, it’s been really hard.”
It’s definitely difficult to go from a Tampa Bay Lightning team that just won back-to-back Stanley Cups and made the playoffs in 10 of 11 years to the Blackhawks clubs that finished 27th, 30th and 31st in the NHL. Johnson has fulfilled his seven-year, $35 million contract with Tampa Bay in 2017. The 33-year-old scored 17 goals and 31 points in 67 games last season with Chicago despite missing significant time. due to a foot injury.
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Any candidate still left out could be over the salary cap or very close to it, limiting the number of players on the roster they can have. And Johnson, while still effective and smart as an NHL player, is no longer worth $5 million a season.
It appears Johnson only has two options if he wants to continue playing in the NHL. He will have to sign with any team that has the space and opportunity, or sign with a playoff contender whose roster is complete and hopes to earn a spot in training camp or be one of the top options if injuries occur.
I believe Johnson will get a contract, but it won’t be what he imagined when he talked about the loss in Chicago and that he would look for a playoff contender. The Blackhawks could very well finish higher in the standings than the team Johnson ends up with right now. Chicago has improved a lot and will at least be closer to a playoff spot. We’ll have to wait and see how things play out for Johnson this offseason if he signs.
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