The NY Rangers have been actively seeking to boost their depth without breaking the bank. The club is currently up against the cap with a little over $770K in available space. That doesn’t leave much room to add depth players.
That’s why contending clubs like the NY Rangers resort to Professional Tryout Offers (PTO) to bring in players looking to earn one more NHL contract. In particular, the Blue Shirts could target a former first-overall pick, defenseman Erik Johnson.
Johnson was the top pick in the 2006 NHL Draft. He spent the first four seasons of his career with the St. Louis Blues before making a name for himself with the Colorado Avalanche. The rugged D-man was a key member of the Avalanche’s 2022 Stanley Cup-winning team.
He eventually moved to the Buffalo Sabres, Philadelphia Flyers, and back to the Avalanche as depth defensive help last season.
That’s the role Johnson could play for the NY Rangers. His 1,023 games of NHL experience and Stanley Cup pedigree could prove useful for a Rangers club looking for affordable depth.
Johnson would hardly make it into the top six. But then again, injuries always play a major role throughout the season. So, there are plenty of reasons why the Rangers could take a flyer on Johnson this upcoming season.
Johnson Is Low-Cost, High-Reward Proposition for NY Rangers
Erik Johnson is nowhere near a 20-minute-a-night blueliner at this point in his career. But he is a physical, defensively sound D-man who could fit in nicely as a seventh or eighth defenseman.
Assuming he signs for a league-minimum deal, the NY Rangers could carry him on the roster all season without risking surpassing the cap ceiling. That situation makes him an interesting alternative at training camp this fall.
If he doesn’t work out, both sides can shake hands and part ways. It’s tough to pass on an opportunity to add a solid blueliner with little to no risk attached. If he makes the team, the NY Rangers will have a motivated veteran looking to prolong his playing days.
It’s the sort of win-win scenario contenders constantly seek.
Johnson Remains Committed to Playing
Even at 37, and over 1,000 games under his belt, Erik Johnson has not hinted at the possibility of retiring. He made it clear he’s looking to continue his NHL career when he returned to Colorado last spring.
However, Johnson and the Avalanche haven’t seemed to agree on the possibility of a return. That prospect could spur Johnson to seek one last kick at the NHL can with another organization. The NY Rangers could be just the right team to give Johnson that much-desired opportunity.
Johnson could fit well into Mike Sullivan’s system, especially since the Blue Shirts coach likes to deploy trusted veterans in multiple situations.
So, Johnson’s commitment to continuing his playing career could find a new spark on Broadway. There’s no reason to believe a healthy Johnson couldn’t do what Blake Wheeler did for the NY Rangers during this last go-around the league.
Ultimately, the NY Rangers have nothing to lose in giving Johnson a chance to go out on his own terms.
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