Veteran defenseman Jack Johnson isn’t ready to hang up his skates just yet. The Minnesota Wild have given the 38-year-old a chance to prove he’s still got game, signing him to a professional tryout agreement.
It’s been quite a journey for the former third overall pick from the 2005 NHL Draft.
Last season with the Columbus Blue Jackets wasn’t his best showing. Johnson managed just six assists in 41 games, averaging less than 13 minutes on the ice per game. The stats weren’t kind to him either – he struggled as arguably the Blue Jackets’ weakest defensive link.
But here’s the thing: Johnson’s not that far removed from being a solid contributor.
Just two years ago, he put up some decent numbers with the Colorado Avalanche. Playing alongside better talent in Denver, he scored three goals and racked up 16 points across 80 games. He was logging nearly 15 minutes per game and his advanced stats looked much better.
The big question is: where does he fit with the Wild?
Minnesota’s already got one of the NHL’s strongest defensive units. Even with Jonas Brodin expected to miss the start of the season, they’re pretty stacked on the blue line. Zach Bogosian and David Jiříček are already competing for that seventh defenseman spot.
At this stage in his career, Johnson’s probably not interested in riding buses in the American Hockey League. There’s a good chance he’s using this tryout to catch another NHL team’s eye – it’s a pretty common strategy for veterans looking to extend their careers.
The Wild will get a good look at what Johnson’s got left during training camp and preseason. Time will tell if there’s still enough gas in the tank.
