Experienced striker Tyler Johnson finally has a solution to his professional tryout contract with the Boston Bruins. The organization announced that they have signed Johnson to a one-year NHL contract through 2024-25 with a league minimum salary of $775,000.

According to PuckPedia, this move leaves Boston with a full 23-man roster with a current cap hit of approximately $515,000. Outside of the team’s fourth line, the Bruins had little consistency with the rest of their forward line to start the year, meaning Johnson should start somewhere in the team’s middle six.

During his time with the Tampa Bay Lightning, he is no longer the typical 50-point threat, but brings Stanley Cup pedigree to an organization that has not advanced past the second round of the playoffs since 2019. He has spent the last three years rebuilding Chicago’s Blackhawks team, scoring 32 goals and 70 points in 149 games and posting a -64 rating. The Bruins shouldn’t expect Johnson’s addition to the lineup to move them out of their current offensive ranking of No. 27, but he should help in a few other areas.

Johnson is a much better player on the defensive side of the puck than his tenure with the Blackhawks suggested, which should theoretically help lower Boston’s GA/G of 3.23. The Bruins are also one of the worst possession teams in the league with a CorsiFor% of 48.3% in all situations, ranking 24th. Johnson has maintained a 52.1% CF rating throughout his career, including an average of 49.7% during his time in Chicago.

He could also play a role in the Bruins’ penalty kill, but it’s unlikely that league-average performance on a man disadvantage is a priority that needs to be addressed as there are more pressing issues at hand. On paper, the move seems like a positive step in the right direction for a struggling Boston team, but not necessarily the game-changing impact they apparently need.