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Jonas Johansson

Tampa Bay Lightning Sign Conor Sheary, Four Others

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The Tampa Bay Lightning are signing forwards Conor Sheary and Luke Glendening to bolster their bottom six, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports. The team announced a three-year, $2MM per season contract for Sheary. Glendening’s contract is two years at $800K per season, according to the Tampa Bay Times’ Eduardo A. Encina. They’ve also added netminder Jonas Johansson on a one-year, league-minimum deal.

They’ve also signed 2016 first-round pick Logan Brown to a one-year, two-way $775k contract, as well as forward Mitchell Chaffee to the same deal.

Heading into today’s free agency, and with the cap space situation at hand for the team, these are exactly the type of moves that Tampa was expected to make. Sheary and Glendening ultimately improve the bottom six lines, while Johansson gives the team a quality third-string backup option.

With Sheary, the Lightning should get tremendous value out of this signing. Over the last two seasons playing for the Washington Capitals, Sheary has scored 34 goals and 46 assists in just under 160 games. He became an exceptional middle-six option for the Capitals and should do the exact same in Tampa Bay.

In Glendening, the Lightning had a player that will undoubtedly help with the team’s possession numbers. Over the course of his 10-year career, Glendening has averaged a 55.7% faceoff percentage, while averaging a whopping 58.9% with the Dallas Stars alone. Already garnering a defensive unit that is one of the league’s best at moving the puck, the team will benefit greatly from having Glendening take important faceoffs.

Next, Johansson gives the team insurance if one of their regular goaltenders goes down with an injury. Spending last season primarily playing for the Colorado Avalanche’s AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles, Johansson sported a .920 SV% and a 2.33 GAA, helping lead his team to the 2023 Calder Cup playoffs. The Lightning are still expected to sign a more stable backup behind Andrei Vasilevskiy for the 2023-24 NHL season.

Finally, Brown adds an intriguing former top prospect for the Lightning’s development team to get their hands on. Injuries have laid waste to Brown’s development path so far but he’s been a difference-maker at the AHL level and perhaps Tampa Bay thinks they can unlock some of his upside at the NHL level.

Snapshots: Panthers Injuries, Johansson, Dadonov

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It appears the Florida Panthers won’t be without Radko Gudas in their lineup for too long. After leaving Game 2 (which he was already doubtful for with a separate injury) of the Stanley Cup Final after a hard hit from Golden Knights forward Ivan Barbashev, Panthers head coach Paul Maurice expects Gudas to be ready for Game 3 tomorrow night.

Both Gudas and winger Eetu Luostarinen, who hasn’t played at all in this series, were absent from Panthers practice this morning. Luostarinen isn’t expected to return for Game 3 but remains day-to-day with a lower-body injury.

Box stats say Gudas has only played a marginal role in Florida’s storybook run, playing just 17 minutes a game and registering three assists, but his physical style and game-changing hits have propelled the Panthers to some key moments in this postseason. That’s not to discount his actual defensive play — which has been, along with his partner Josh Mahura, the best of Florida’s three usual pairings.

More from around the NHL today:

  • Earlier in the offseason, SHL club Färjestad BK announced they had signed pending Colorado Avalanche UFA netminder Jonas Johansson, bringing him back to his home country. Less than a month later, however, they’ve already terminated the deal, citing Johansson’s belief he could get another NHL opportunity before 2023-24 begins. While the road has been rocky for the 27-year-old Swede, Johansson had his best pro season to date in 2022-23, playing a career-high 26 AHL games after bouncing up and down between leagues and recording a .920 save percentage.
  • The Anaheim Ducks attempted to acquire Evgenii Dadonov from the Vegas Golden Knights at the 2022 trade deadline but failed due to Vegas not properly handling Dadonov’s no-trade clause — which listed Anaheim as a team he could not be dealt to. The deal was nullified by the league as a result, and now the Ducks are requesting a compensatory draft pick from the league, as reported by Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman. He says the league is considering granting the Ducks’ request, which could likely see them gain an additional pick in this year’s draft, bringing their total number of picks to 10.

Jonas Johansson Signs In Sweden

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After six full seasons stateside, Colorado Avalanche pending free agent netminder Jonas Johansson is opting to return home. The 27-year-old has signed a two-year contract with Färjestad BK of the SHL, according to a team announcement Tuesday.

Johansson was originally a member of the Buffalo Sabres, drafted by them in the third round of the 2014 NHL Draft. After multiple years in the minors, he was traded to the Avalanche in March 2021 and appeared in nine games with the team during the 2020-21 season. Since then, he’s stayed mostly in the Colorado organization, aside from a brief stint with the Florida Panthers in 2021-22 after they claimed him on waivers.

This past season was Johansson’s best professionally by a country mile. He played in 26 games with the AHL’s Colorado Eagles, his most with a single team in a single season since he played 27 with the ECHL’s Cincinnati Cyclones in 2018-19. He did well there, recording a .920 save percentage and a 14-9-2 record. In three appearances with Colorado this season, he posted a .932 save percentage and 2-0-0 record.

Still, with Johansson tossed around between leagues constantly over the past few seasons, it’s no surprise he’s opted for stability in the SHL. A return to North America isn’t out of the question upon expiration of his contract, though, as Johansson said in a translated statement:

The dream of the NHL will always live on as long as you play, I think. But at this stage in life, it feels good to be able to come home and play. A little closer to friends and family and get to experience Swedish hockey again. It will be a lot of fun.

Färjestad BK is one of the most successful teams in the SHL, having won 10 SHL/Elitserien championships in its history. The team finished in third place during the 2022-23 season but was upset by Frölunda HC in a seven-game quarterfinal series.

Johansson is currently the only goaltender on the Färjestad roster for 2023-24, and he’s likely the starter based on his recent play in the minors and extensive professional experience.

If Johansson does finish out his pro career in Sweden rather than returning to North America, he wraps up his NHL career with an 11-13-4 record in 35 games, posting one shutout, a 3.35 goals-against average, and .886 save percentage.

Minor Transactions: 03/06/23

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As the NHL looks forward to the playoffs, transactions are still happening across the league and internationally as well. Here are some of the minor transactions and news pieces so far today.

  • The Colorado Avalanche has announced that goaltender Jonas Johansson has been recalled from the AHL affiliate Colorado Eagles. On the heels of incredibly shaky starts from Justus Annunen and Alexandar Georgiev, the Avalanche will now employ a different option in the net. Recent acquisition Keith Kinkaid was sent down earlier this morning after coming in as backup during the blowout game against the Dallas Stars Saturday night. The Avalanche will enter play tomorrow night against the San Jose Sharks as they look to stop their three-game losing streak.
  • Tarik El-Bashir of The Athletic reports that defensemen Nick Jensen and Martin Fehervary were seen in non-contact jerseys during this morning’s practice. Neither of the two has played since the Capitals’ game against the Anaheim Ducks last Wednesday. Jensen recently signed a 3-year, $12.15MM contract extension with the Capitals; coupled with the deal sending Dmitry Orlov to the Boston Bruins, Jensen figures to be an important part of Washington’s blue line moving forward.
  • Outside of the NHL, veteran forward Patrik Lundh is in agreement on a 1-year extension with Färjestad BK of the Swedish Hockey League. Now in his second tenure with the Swedish club, Lundh has previously played in several of Europe’s most popular hockey leagues. After spending time in both the Kontinental Hockey League and the Deutsche Eishockey Liga, Lundh made the switch back to the SHL last season.

Avalanche Assign Jonas Johansson To AHL, Recall Justus Annunen

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Following last night’s victory over Winnipeg where he dressed as the backup goaltender, the Avalanche returned goaltender Jonas Johansson to AHL Colorado, per the AHL’s transactions log.  In a corresponding move, Justus Annunen has been recalled from the Eagles.

Johansson has spent the majority of the season in the minors, posting an impressive 2.50 GAA along with a .915 SV% in 23 games.  The 27-year-old also has made one appearance with the Avs, kicking aside all seven shots he faced in 23 minutes while extending his streak to four years of seeing NHL action.

Annunen, meanwhile, saw his first NHL action of the season last Saturday against St. Louis, stopping 19 of 20 shots for the victory.  The 22-year-old has put up similar numbers to Johansson with the Eagles with a 2.53 GAA and a .913 SV% in 29 contests.  Still a prospect, it has made sense for the Avs to keep him in the minors and the older Johansson up with the big club to serve as the backup so this move suggests that Annunen might get the start tonight against Calgary.

Colorado Avalanche Recall Brad Hunt, Jonas Johansson

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The Colorado Avalanche, heading out of town to play the Winnipeg Jets tomorrow, have recalled a couple of extra bodies. Brad Hunt and Jonas Johansson will join the group, giving them options at defense and in net.

Johansson’s recall is the most significant, given Pavel Francouz is out for a few weeks. The minor league netminder has found something in the Colorado organization, performing better there than any of his other professional stops. Johansson has a .915 in 23 games with the Colorado Eagles, and stopped all seven shots he faced in a relief appearance with the Avalanche earlier this year.

While Aleksandar Georgiev will certainly be carrying the load, the team is headed into a back-to-back situation with a game against the Calgary Flames on Saturday, and have another back-to-back next weekend just after the trade deadline. Johansson may actually get some play unless he’s swapped for Justus Annunen at some point.

Hunt, meanwhile, just continues to show he’s too good for the minor leagues, with 21 points in 24 games for the Eagles. The veteran defenseman has filled the role of extra defensemen well for several organizations, and has 29 appearances for the Avalanche this year. He’ll likely keep bouncing back and forth whenever needed.

Snapshots: Three Stars, Francouz, Forsberg

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The NHL released its Three Stars for last week, led by New York Rangers superstar Artemi Panarin. The 31-year-old winger had nine points in four games including a five-point effort against the Carolina Hurricanes in a very important game. With that, he’s up to 59 points in 53 games and once again on pace to break 90 this season.

Even that might not catch second place though, as Erik Karlsson once again gets a star as his incredible season continues. The San Jose Sharks defenseman is up to 73 points on the season, an 82-game pace of 110 points. It’s hard to follow that, but Clayton Keller did his best to earn third, after scoring seven points in three games for the Arizona Coyotes. Despite the Coyotes’ struggles, Keller has a chance to set career highs in goals and points this season.

  • The Colorado Avalanche have listed Pavel Francouz out with a lower-body injury, and recalled Jonas Johansson from the AHL to replace him. It is not clear how long the former will be out, but it likely means that Alexandar Georgiev will be starting tomorrow’s game against the Tampa Bay Lightning. With the Avalanche on a back-to-back Wednesday in Minnesota, Johansson’s services may be required.
  • After Anton Forsberg needed a stretcher to leave the ice for the Ottawa Senators, the worst was feared. Bruce Garrioch of Postmedia gives something of a promising update though, reporting that the veteran goaltender will actually not require surgery on his knees. His recovery timeline is set at two to three months as he recovers from MCL tears in both legs.

Pavel Francouz Activated From Injured Reserve

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The Colorado Avalanche returned Jonas Johansson to the minor leagues earlier today, suggesting that Pavel Francouz was ready to return to the active roster. Indeed, Francouz no longer appears on injured reserve and should be ready to dress this evening against the Florida Panthers.

It’s been nearly a month since Francouz last appeared for the Avalanche, stopping 26 of 28 shots on December 13 against the Philadelphia Flyers. The 32-year-old goaltender had posted a .913 save percentage in nine games through the early part of the season, serving as the primary backup for Alexandar Georgiev.

Without him, it’s been Georgiev every night for the Avalanche, with Johansson only playing 23 minutes in relief on New Year’s Eve. The 29 appearances from Georgiev so far have him closing in on his career-high of 34, set in 2019-20 with the New York Rangers.

With that in mind, it’s a good time for Francouz to get back in the mix and start to split the load as Colorado pushes toward the trade deadline. The club sits in fifth place in the Central Division with a 20-15-3 record, after being decimated by injuries through the first part of the year.

Denis Malgin, the latest of those injuries, was called week-to-week by head coach Jared Bednar earlier today. Peter Baugh of The Athletic relays other updates from the coach, noting that Bowen Byram and Josh Manson are also skating but have no firm timetable yet.

Avalanche Recall Charles Hudon And Jonas Johansson

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The Avalanche have brought up a pair of players in advance of tonight’s game against Arizona as the team announced (Twitter link) that winger Charles Hudon and goaltender Jonas Johansson have been recalled from AHL Colorado.  The Avs had two open roster spots so no corresponding roster moves needed to be made to make these recalls.

Hudon is in his first season with the Avalanche and has gotten into seven games with the big club this season while on emergency recall.  He was held off the scoresheet in each of those but did log nearly 12 minutes per contest.  The 28-year-old has been productive with the Eagles this season with ten goals and eight assists in 22 games.

As for Johansson, he’s covering for Pavel Francouz with Peter Baugh of The Athletic relaying (Twitter link) that Francouz is dealing with a lower-body injury.  Johansson, who has twice been claimed off waivers already this season, has yet to see any NHL action in 2022-23 but has done well in the minors, posting a 2.15 GAA with a .929 SV% in 15 contests.

Colorado Avalanche Recall Jonas Johansson

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The Colorado Avalanche have announced that goaltender Jonas Johansson has been recalled from the team’s AHL affiliate, the Colorado Eagles.

The move comes after Avalanche backup netminder Pavel Francouz secured his team a 3-2 victory over the Philadelphia Flyers last night. As no corresponding move was announced regarding the Avalanche’s goalies, this recall adds a third name to Colorado’s situation in the crease.

The 27-year-old Johansson earns this recall on the back of his impressive AHL performance so far this season. Through 12 games Johansson has a .929 save percentage and 2.10 goals-against-average.

Over the past two seasons Johansson’s career has had quite the journey. He was traded to the Avalanche from the Buffalo Sabres in 2021, when the Avalanche were in desperate need of a goalie. The team surrendered a sixth-round pick to acquire him, and then lost him on waivers to the Florida Panthers in December of that year.

After a two-game stint in Florida that included a disastrous start against the Montreal Canadiens in their final game of the regular season, where he surrendered ten goals, Johansson hit unrestricted free agency this past summer.

He was signed to a one-year, $750k deal with a hefty $350k AHL salary, with the idea of him playing in a tandem in the AHL with Justus Annunen.

That idea was nearly blown up after the Arizona Coyotes claimed Johansson off of waivers in late September, but nearly two weeks later the Avalanche were able to re-acquire him after he was waived by Arizona.

It’s unclear at this moment if this recall is motivated by any injury developments to either Francouz or Alexandar Georgiev.

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