Sabres sign veteran defenseman Johnson to 1-year deal

The Buffalo Sabres have signed defenseman Erik Johnson to a one-year contract worth $3.25 million, the team announced Saturday.

Johnson, 35, has recorded 88 goals and 249 assists over 15 seasons with the St. Louis Blues and Colorado Avalanche. He is tied for 20th among active NHL defensemen with 920 career games played.

The first-overall pick in the 2006 NHL Draft, Johnson won the Stanley Cup as a member of the Avalanche in 2022 and has tallied 13 points (8+5) in 55 career playoff games.

In 2022-23, the right-shot defenseman tallied eight points in 63 contests with the Avs.

Johnson is one of four active NHL defensemen to be taken with the first-overall pick in the NHL Draft, a list which also includes Sabres defensemen Rasmus Dahlin (2018) and Owen Power (2020).