Just as they did last year, the Bruins will have at least one veteran in training camp on a professional tryout agreement. General manager Don Sweeney announced Saturday afternoon that Boston has signed forward Tyler Johnson to a PTO.
Johnson, 34, won two Stanley Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 2021. He spent the last three years with the rebuilding Chicago Blackhawks, most recently registering 17 goals and 14 assists in 67 games this past season.
That was Johnson's highest goal total since 2018-19, but it's worth noting that a good chunk of that was the product of him seeing more power-play time than he had in recent years. More than half of his total offense (8 goals, 8 assists) came on the man advantage. At 5-on-5, Johnson's 0.81 points per 60 minutes were a career low by a lot (his previous career low was 1.11).
That said, there's zero risk in bringing in a veteran with a good resume to see what he can do. Johnson, a right shot who can play center or wing, could challenge for a roster spot on a team that appears to be a right wing short, especially if a youngster like Fabian Lysell isn't ready to claim an NHL job yet.
At 5-foot-8, 185 pounds, Johnson does go against the Bruins' offseason trend of getting bigger, but he'll give the front office and coaching staff a little bit of a different look to consider.
Last year, Danton Heinen earned his way onto the Bruins' roster after going through camp on a PTO. If Johnson can't do that, Boston can simply release him from the PTO at no cost.
The Bruins begin captains practices this week before officially opening training camp on Sept. 18.