Johnson Adds to the Penguins' Defensive Depth

Shortly after the Penguins landed in Chicago to kick off a four-game road trip, they announced a trade – acquiring defenseman Ryan Johnson from Buffalo in exchange for defensemen Caleb Jones and Daniel Laatsch.

Johnson was able to meet the team in time for their morning skate on Tuesday, taking the ice with his new organization.

“Hearing the news, definitely excited when I heard the team wanted me. So that was really cool, and yeah, definitely feels like a special moment,” Johnson said. “A lot of unknown and uncertainty as far as going to a new city, new team, new staff, new players. But excited for the opportunity and yeah, definitely thankful to be here.”

Penguins Head Coach Dan Muse said he saw Johnson play here and there as he was coming through the ranks with the USHL’s Sioux Falls Stampede and then the University of Minnesota, and has always liked his game.

“It’s been a little while since then, while he's been playing professionally. But a lot of the same. I remember from seeing him playing college hockey,” Muse said. “Really good skater, takes away time and space well. I think he has a very efficient game in terms of just the ability to support pucks, to break out pucks, to move pucks.

“I think the defensive detail and defensive sense is something that I remembered, and that's lined up with the reports that we got as well as an organization.”

Johnson, selected by the Sabres in the first round (31^st overall) of the 2019 NHL Draft, turned professional after his senior year with the Golden Gophers and had a strong rookie season, appearing in 41 total games with Buffalo.

While Johnson did see some time with the Sabres in each of his next two campaigns, they were spent primarily with Buffalo’s AHL affiliate, the Rochester Americans. The 25-year-old views them as years of both growth and challenges as he works to sharpen up his game.

“Got a lot of minutes in the AHL and got to work on a lot of things to get put in positions where you're kind of forced to be a big part of it, a big role on the ice,” Johnson said. “So, being in that position was good for me, and I definitely enjoyed it. And the goal is always to be here. So, also knowing that that place is a place to develop and help you become who you want to be, and ultimately get you to the next level.”

As of now, Johnson is the Penguins’ seventh defenseman on this road trip, with Trevor van Riemsdyk sidelined due to injury. The move adds to Pittsburgh’s depth on the blue line, and gives them another option.  

“Organizationally, having that, it's a good thing,” Muse said. “We're also getting really good reports here from the guys in Wilkes, and from younger guys. And so, that's what you want to have, just that kind of organizational depth.”