Blue Jackets sign Jack Johnson to one-year, $775,000 contract

A veteran blueliner is returning to a former home.

On Tuesday, the Columbus Blue Jackets signed defenseman Jack Johnson to a one-year contract. The deal will carry a $775,000 cap hit through the 2024-25 season.

PuckPedia was the first to report the signing.

This is Johnson’s second stint with the Blue Jackets. He was traded to Columbus prior to the trade deadline during the 2011-12 season, and would end up spending six full seasons with the team. The Indianapolis native played 445 games, scoring 36 goals and 110 assists for 146 points. Johnson moved on and signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2018, playing two seasons in the Steel City before joining the New York Rangers for the 2020-21 season.

Johnson finally achieved the ultimate team success the following year. He signed with the Colorado Avalanche, and was on the team that went on to win the Stanley Cup. After spending a few months with the Chicago Blackhawks, he was traded back to the Avs in the latter half of the 2022-23 campaign, where he remained through this past season.

The 37-year-old scored three goals and 13 assists in 80 games during 2023-24, with a plus/minus of +15. Johnson played an average of 14:55 of ice time. He played in 11 playoff games, playing close to 14 minutes a night, and was a +4.

The former Michigan Wolverines started his career with the Los Angeles Kings, spending parts of five seasons in Hollywood. In 1,187 games, Johnson has scored 77 goals and 259 assists, including 21 points in 57 playoff appearances.

Johnson was originally selected by the Carolina Hurricanes third overall in the 2005 NHL Draft. However, his rights were traded to the Kings in September 2006.

With the signing, Columbus has 37 players under standard player contracts for the 2024-25 campaign. According to CapFriendly, the Blue Jackets have over $18 million in projected cap space.