Tyler Johnson (9) was put on waivers. Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports

Cap-crunched Lightning place Tyler Johnson on waivers

By Erin Walsh | Last updated 10/9/20

NHL free agency has finally opened, and the salary cap-crunched Tampa Bay Lightning made a move in order to free up some cap space.

With about $4.5 million to sign their free agents, the Lightning placed Tyler Johnson on waivers, according to TSN's Elliotte Friedman. Johnson carries a $5 million cap hit each season through the 2023-2024 campaign. Placing him on waivers will leave Tampa Bay with nearly $9.6 million in cap space, according to CapFriendly.

With Johnson on the move, Bolts general manager Julien BriseBois now has room to sign restricted free agents Mikhail Sergachev, Anthony Cirelli and Erik Cernak.

Losing Johnson is an unfortunate but necessary move for the Stanley Cup champion Lightning. The right-shot centerman won't have any issues finding a new home considering he's tallied 45-plus points in five of his seven full NHL seasons.

While Johnson's numbers took a dip this past season, he'll be a valuable asset to any team looking to add some depth. He tallied 14 goals and 17 assists in 65 games this past season and added four goals and three assists in 25 playoff games.

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