July 1: The Penguins have confirmed the signing, announcing a five-year contract worth $16.25MM.
June 27: Multiple reports including Jason Mackey of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette have surfaced indicating that the Pittsburgh Penguins intend to sign Jack Johnson to a five-year contract on July 1st. The deal will be in the area of $16MM total, and would make sense given the recent reports of discussions between the two sides. Though they’re technically not allowed to exchange contract figures until Sunday, team often have deals worked out ahead of time—as seen by the flurry of announcements just after the free agent period opens.
This doesn’t guarantee that Johnson becomes a Penguin on July 1st, but it certainly gives him an offer that would be hard to top. The 31-year old defenseman has been open about his need for some financial stability given his public bankruptcy case, and a five-year deal would give him that. It would also provide the Penguins with another experienced skater that has been known to log huge minutes and contribute on the penalty kill.
Johnson has clearly started to decline on the ice, no longer the two-way powerplay quarterback he was in his youth. That offensive upside was squashed as he transitioned into a more shutdown role in Columbus, one that he relished for a time alongside David Savard. If he end up in Pittsburgh he could be given a very similar role, and allow some of the more offensively-minded defensemen to flourish a bit in some easier matchups. The question now is if he can handle that role, or if he would be at his best as a more rarely-used third pairing option and penalty killer. Johnson hasn’t put up good possession statistics in several years, and was eventually scratched by the Blue Jackets down the stretch and through their playoff series.
For $3MM, or something around it, the Penguins would need a strong contribution. Just today they disposed of Matt Hunwick’s $2.25MM cap hit because he didn’t fit into the system, and a five-year commitment to Johnson brings even more risk. Granted, Hunwick was not a third-overall pick that has logged 788 relatively successful games in the NHL, but it’s easy to see how the situation could devolve into something similar a few years down the road.
Luckily for Pittsburgh, GM Jim Rutherford has proven time and again how he can wiggle his way out of contract and cap problems. With today’s trade of Hunwick and Conor Sheary being the latest example, Rutherford has positioned his team as real Cup contenders every year since taking the job in 2014. A commitment to Johnson may be risky, but it also could pay off if he can find a higher gear like so many other defensemen have in Pittsburgh over the last few years.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Wow. Going to be interesting to see how they accommodate that 3.2MM cap hit.
Ok, serves me for now scrolling down the page. Hadn’t seen the trade of Sheary and Hunwick.
That’s actually a really good signing at that price. Interested to see how much they give Riley. So we saved 300k on the trade.
So today’s moves look like this…
Sheary and Hunwick to Buffalo
We get
4th rounder (possibly 3rd)
Jack Johnson 5yr 16M
300K in savings
Well the Sheary & Hunwick trade cleared ~5.25mm. JJ’s deal sounds like it’ll be some where around 3-3.5mm. so the savings is about 2mm. Not sure where you’re getting 300k?
Sheahan signed for 2.1, which could be what he’s saying, but someone would have to do the math to figure out how much of a raise that is, instead of just factoring in the 2.1
It’s a long deal but could be a bargain. We will see. Didn’t seem like Johnson enjoyed the last few years in Columbus, and the way he played definitely showed that.
Well this is one of those deals that you know is going to look awful 3-4 years down the road
This is the type of deal that looks bad after only one season and gets General Managers fired and run out of town. Rutherford can’t seriously be giving Jack Johnson at least 5 years of term, can he?
If so, we all now know that it was Jason Botterril that was the brains behind the Pens two Cups. Rutherford has been making moves like he has advanced dementia these past two seasons. First the Reaves trade, then the Hunwick contract, now this???? What a &%$.
Even the Brassard trade was a little bad. I get that Brassard is a great 2 way center and was normally a big playoff performer but they gave up a ton for a guy they slotted into their third line.
Well 3 mil for a top4 defender is a steal, so even if he contributes as a bottom pairing it’s a good deal.
Someone’s going to give Mike Green upwards of 5Mil.. Thats a bad deal.
Except Johnson isn’t a Top 4 defender. Questionable if he’s even Top 6 – apparently Columbus didn’t think so.
This is one of those flyers you take on a 1 or 2 year deal. Maybe. Offering Johnson 5 years is downright insane. I’m even hearing that the term might be as long as 6 years, which if so, Mario Lemieux needs to step in, block the deal, and give Rutherford a gold watch and let him move onto his life’s work outside of hockey.
This deal is downright bonkers for a team that is right up against the cap every year and could very easily push them into Chicago Blackhawk/Detroit Red Wing territory. Just insane.
Not really.. For one, Johnson has proven hockey skills over his career.
Cole was benched for the first half of the season, but was still highly regarded and retained value.. Now realise Johnson is twice the player Ian Cole is.
Easily a top-3 defender on the market, and most likely a better option than overpaying Mike Green. So arguably Johnson at 3Mil is the best defensive free agent signing.
Some people just want to hate or cry, but signing Johnson is a coup.
Bad teams pay for past performance and “proven hockey skills over his career”. Pay for free agents is based on future expected performance. Johnson has declined rapidly and all metrics show him now as a replacement level player or below. Columbus didn’t even start him in the playoffs. His game has gotten bad.
And long term deal for him is a disaster and terrible signing.
Not when theyre all in on maximizing next season.
Will it hurt them down the rd.. Maybe.. But Hunwick couldnt have been any worse n they were easily able to dump him.
Mike Green
Dan Hamhuis
Tobi Enstrom
Alex Emelin
Ian Cole
Those are the other free agent defenders… JJ is a great pickup.
The cap hit isn’t bad, but 5 years? That is too many for Johnson at this point of his career
Mike Green
Dan Hamhuis
Tobi Enstrom
Alex Emelin
Ian Cole
Those are the other free agent defenders… JJ is a great pickup.
De Haan probably is the best one on the market, but paying Johnson for 5 years is a recipe for disaster. They probably would’ve been better off paying Enstrom for 2 years
But its 5 years at only .7 more than Hunwick was making.
Face it, despite all the hate, JJ would have made 20M/4 on the open market.. Wanted to sign with pens and took a discount overall, pens just had to pick up 5th year.
“JJ would’ve got 4/20 on the open market”
Are you serious? Obviously he didn’t get that, and any GM who would’ve gave him that should’ve been immediately fired.