BOSTON, MA - MARCH 11: Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery listens to a question after a game between the Boston Bruins and the Detroit Red Wings on March 11, 2023, at TD Garden in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Fred Kfoury III/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
Veteran forward Tyler Johnson has officially signed a one-year contract with the Boston Bruins for the 2024-25 season, at the league minimum salary of $775K. This deal fills the Bruins’ 23-man roster and leaves them with about $515K in cap space. While Boston’s fourth line has remained stable, there has been inconsistency among their other forward lines, which suggests Johnson will likely start in a middle-six role.
Although Johnson is no longer the offensive threat he was during his time with the Tampa Bay Lightning, where he frequently posted 50-point seasons, he brings valuable experience and leadership, including two Stanley Cup titles. In recent years with the Chicago Blackhawks, a team in rebuilding mode, he scored 32 goals and 70 points in 149 games but also posted a negative -64 rating. While Johnson’s arrival won’t immediately solve the Bruins’ offensive struggles—currently ranked 27th in the league—it could provide a boost in other areas.
Defensively, Johnson has proven to be more reliable than his time in Chicago might suggest, which could help the Bruins improve their current 3.23 goals-against average per game. Boston is also struggling with possession, ranking 24th in CorsiFor percentage at 48.3%. Johnson has consistently posted a 52.1% CorsiFor across his career, including a 49.7% during his years in Chicago, which could help improve the team’s overall possession numbers.
Johnson may also feature on the Bruins’ penalty kill, although his impact in that area is expected to be modest, given the team’s more pressing issues elsewhere. Overall, while his signing provides some potential benefits, it is not the major game-changing move that Boston may need to turn around their season. Nonetheless, this acquisition could be a step in the right direction for a team that has faced challenges, particularly in the postseason, since 2019.
