The Boston Bruins are nearly finished with their NHL Free Agency moves as training camp approaches, but they are still looking to bolster their roster. Recent rumors suggested the Bruins might offer PTOs (professional tryouts) to unsigned veteran players, which became a reality with their latest signing of Tyler Johnson.
The Bruins confirmed on Saturday that they signed Johnson to a professional tryout. Johnson, who spent the last three seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks, scored 17 goals and tallied 31 points in 67 games during the 2023-24 season.
With over 730 regular-season games under his belt, Johnson, a Spokane, Washington native, is best known for his time with the Tampa Bay Lightning. He joined the Lightning as an undrafted free agent in the 2012-13 season and won two Stanley Cups with the team in 2020 and 2021.
### Tyler Johnson’s Potential Role on the Bruins’ Roster
The Bruins have been in need of center depth since last summer following the retirements of Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci after the 2022-23 season. Although Boston chose Pavel Zacha and Charlie Coyle as their top two centers, it was evident that more depth was needed down the middle.
To address this, Boston signed one of the better center options in NHL Free Agency, Elias Lindholm, to a seven-year contract when the market opened on July 1. Lindholm, who split the last season between the Calgary Flames and Vancouver Canucks, was instrumental in helping Vancouver nearly reach the 2024 Western Conference Finals.
If Johnson makes the Bruins’ roster, he is unlikely to take on a top-six role, though he does have experience playing higher up in the lineup. However, given his recent decline in offensive production, he is better suited for a role lower down the lineup.
Currently, Daily Faceoff projects Matthew Poitras and Johnny Beecher as Boston’s bottom-six centers, both of whom pose significant competition for the veteran Johnson during training camp. Poitras made the team out of training camp last season before an injury sidelined him, while Beecher, a former first-round pick, appeared in 57 games during the 2023-24 season.
Johnson certainly has the potential to make Boston’s roster through this PTO, but it won’t be an easy task. As the Bruins prepare for training camp and their preseason games, it will be interesting to see if Johnson can secure a spot in Boston’s lineup for the 2024-25 season.
