The Penguins added a young defenseman with NHL experience on Tuesday, landing Ryan Johnson from the Buffalo Sabres in a swap that sent Caleb Jones and Daniel Laatsch the other way, according to president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas.
Johnson is under contract through the end of the 2027-28 season, with an average annual value of $875,000.
The 25-year-old has spent the early part of his pro career bouncing between Buffalo and Rochester of the American Hockey League. In 47 career NHL games with the Sabres, he has seven assists, all of them coming during his rookie year, when he set a career high by appearing in 41 games in 2023-24.
This season, Johnson opened with Rochester and played in four games, finishing at plus-2. Across 153 career AHL games, he has produced seven goals, 34 assists and 41 points, and he has chipped in four more points - one goal and three assists - in 15 AHL playoff games.
Before turning pro, Johnson spent four seasons at the University of Minnesota, where he posted nine goals, 50 assists and 59 points in 143 games. He also played a year in the United States Hockey League with the Sioux Falls Stampede, putting up six goals, 19 assists and 25 points in 54 games.
A native of Irvine, California, Johnson suited up for Team USA at the 2021 World Junior Championship and helped deliver gold, finishing with four points - one goal and three assists - in seven games.
Buffalo originally took Johnson in the first round, 31st overall, of the 2019 NHL Draft.
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Buffalos blue line depth took another hit with a minor trade on Tuesday, as the Sabres and Penguins swapped organization-level defensemen in a move that could still ripple beyond the AHL roster. Pittsburgh picked up Ryan Johnson, while Buffalo brought in Caleb Jones and Daniel Laatsch, with all three players currently assigned to minor league teams. For the Penguins, it is a low-risk way to add another young defenseman to the system and see whether Johnson can carve out a path within a different organization.
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Penguins Just Opened A New Chance For A Former First Rounder
The Penguins made a small organizational move that could carry a bigger developmental payoff, sending minor league defensemen Caleb Jones and Laatsch to Buffalo in exchange for Ryan Johnson. For Pittsburgh, it was a straightforward swap on paper, one that helps trim the minor league roster while bringing in a 25-year-old defenseman who still has some runway left to show what he can be in a new setting.
Johnson has only limited NHL experience, but that is part of what makes him interesting for a club looking to take a fresh look at a former first-round talent. The Penguins now get a chance to evaluate him in their system, and for Johnson, the move opens the door to a different opportunity than the one he had in Buffalo. [Read more 🡒]