Key player suddenly leaves the Chicago Blackhawks to test NHL free agency
Photo credit: On Tap Sports Net
The Chicago Blackhawks will be letting some of its depth players walk to free agency on July 1st.
One of those depth players will be
Reese Johnson, whose $1.6 Million, two-year deal expires at the end of the season.
Sounds like Reese Johnson expects to head to the UFA market this summer. You'll never find a nicer, more genuine guy in an NHL locker room; he'll be missed.
GM Kyle Davidson signed Johnson to an extension on April 13th, 2022 in what looked to be a bridge deal and it seems as if his time in Chicago is at an end.
Johnson's 2023-2024 season ended on an unfortunate note, on April 18th it was reported that Johnson wouldn't be able to finish the season due to concussion protocol.
The player had been out on injury since March 12th and was absent for 16 games.
The 25-year-old forward, only suited up for 42 games with the Blackhawks this season, scoring 5 points( 2 G, 3 A), with 109 hits, and 42 PIMs.
Johnson could be a useful addition to any team's fourth line, as a scrappy player with a great face-off win percentage of 51.9%.
The defensive forward will end-up becoming a UFA as a result of a lack of a qualifying offer on Chicago's end.
More on the story as it develops.
Previously on HawksInsider
POLL |
JUIN 22 | 122 ANSWERS Key player suddenly leaves the Chicago Blackhawks to test NHL free agency Should the Blackhawks have tendered a QO to Reese Johnson? |
Yes | 46 | 37.7 % |
No | 76 | 62.3 % |
List of polls |
|
33 minutes ago | By Jim Precourt Team Finland Make Surprise Lineup Change And Bench Blackhawks' Teuvo Teravainen |
|
1 hour ago | By Sam Walker Hockey World Mourns Sudden Loss Of 34-Year Old National Team Goaltender |
|
13 hours ago | By Sam Walker NHL insider drops major news on Seth Jones being traded by the Blackhawks |
|
16 hours ago | By Jim Precourt Analyzing Anders Sorensen's first 29 games in Chicago |
|
17 hours ago | By Joshua Deeds Brady Tkachuk To The Blackhawks Would Complete The Rebuild |
|
18 hours ago | By Joshua Deeds The Tkachuk Brothers' Were Mic'd Up Vs Team Canada And Their Plan Was Exposed |
|
20 hours ago | By Joshua Deeds Blackhawks and Maple Leafs Emerge As Trade Partners For 6-Foot-4 Defenseman |
|
21 hours ago | By Joshua Deeds Team USA Coach Mike Sullivan Confirms The Worst for Matthew Tkachuk |