Islanders sign Ross Johnston to four-year extension

The New York Islanders have locked up a key depth player, signing Ross Johnston to a four-year contract extension. The 27-year-old forward was set to become an unrestricted free agent after this season, the final year of his previous four-year deal. Chris Johnston of TSN reports that the deal will carry an average annual value of $1.1M.

Johnston may not be a household name, but he is extremely well-liked in the Islanders organization and obviously a player they value. The 6’5″ 232-lbs bruiser has only played in 87 regular season NHL games to this point but gets into a handful every year for the team whenever they need to add some size to the lineup. In those games, he has recorded seven goals and 15 points, while racking up 202 penalty minutes.

His current deal carries an average annual value of $1M, making him an easy player to bury in the minor leagues if necessary. The length of this new deal, just like his old one, would likely also scare off any teams from claiming him on waivers should he end up there. 

For most teams, a player like Johnston would be difficult to justify, but the Islanders have built a four-line system that incorporates very specific skillsets in specific situations that they believe allows them to carry part-time players like this that offer little offensive upside.

It’s not often that you see a player with this kind of profile land a four-year contract, but Johnston has now done it twice.