Johnson was reunited with Sidney Crosby, a longtime friend from their prep school days as teammates at Shattuck-St. Mary's in Faribault, Minnesota, when he signed a five-year contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins on July 1, 2018.
The Carolina Hurricanes selected the Indianapolis native with the No. 3 pick in the 2005 NHL Draft after the Penguins chose Crosby No. 1. but Johnson never played for them. After spending the 2005-06 season at the University of Michigan, where he set school freshman records for points (32) and penalty minutes (149), Johnson was traded to the Los Angeles Kings on Sept. 29, 2006.
Johnson was reunited with Sidney Crosby, a longtime friend from their prep school days as teammates at Shattuck-St. Mary's in Faribault, Minnesota, when he signed a five-year contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins on July 1, 2018.
The Carolina Hurricanes selected the Indianapolis native with the No. 3 pick in the 2005 NHL Draft after the Penguins chose Crosby No. 1. but Johnson never played for them. After spending the 2005-06 season at the University of Michigan, where he set school freshman records for points (32) and penalty minutes (149), Johnson was traded to the Los Angeles Kings on Sept. 29, 2006.
Johnson played another season at Michigan, where he ranked first among college defensemen with 16 goals and was named the CCHA's Best Offensive Defenseman, before making NHL debut on March 29, 2007, against the Vancouver Canucks.
A year later, after logging an average 21:42 of ice time per game and producing 11 points (three goals) in 74 games with the Kings, Johnson was voted the team's Best Newcomer and Outstanding Defenseman.
Johnson ranked first or second among Kings defensemen in points in three of the next four seasons, including 2011-12, when he was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Feb. 23, 2012.
Johnson continued to rank among his team's top two point-producing defensemen after moving to Columbus, where he led the team with seven points (three goals) during the 2013-14 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
He became more defense-oriented with the Blue Jackets, regularly ranking among their leading hitters and shot blockers. Johnson finished first among Columbus defensemen in hits (180) and blocks (127) in 2013-14, and was first in blocks (131) in 2014-15.
NOTES & TRANSACTIONS
- CCHA All-Rookie Team (2006)
- CCHA First All-Star Team (2007)
- NCAA West First All-American Team (2007)
- Traded to Los Angeles by Carolina with Oleg Tverdovsky for Eric Belanger and Tim Gleason, September 29, 2006.
- Traded to Columbus by Los Angeles with Los Angeles' 1st round pick (Marko Dano) in 2013 NHL Draft for Jeff Carter, February 23, 2012.
- Signed as a free agent by Pittsburgh, July 1, 2018.
