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Tyler Johnson joined the Boston Bruins on a PTO ahead of training camp, and the veteran forward continues to wait patiently for a potential contract with the club, TSN’s Chris Johnston confirmed on the latest episode of Insider Trading.
“[Johnson] still remains in Boston. He’s skating there, trying to stay in shape, remaining patient in hopes of getting a contract,” Johnston reported. “It’s a bit of an unusual circumstance for the veteran forward.”
The hockey insider continued: “The Bruins like him, they really did like his camp, but they don’t have cap space at this point in time. So it would have to be someone else put on waivers, a trade to create space or maybe an injury opens an opportunity. But Tyler Johnson is willing to wait it out, hoping to eventually get a deal with Boston.”
The Bruins currently only have $400,000 in cap space to work with, meaning there’s no space for Johnson currently. But the 34-year-old is hoping that will change at some point over the next couple of weeks.
A 12-year veteran of the National Hockey League, Johnson spent the last three seasons with the Chicago Blackhawks. He chipped in 31 points in 67 games for the lowly Hawks in 2023-24, proving he’s still capable of producing at the NHL level.
Tyler Johnson still has some game
Originally signed by the Tampa Bay Lightning as an undrafted player in 2011, Johnson spent his first nine seasons in the city — and carved out a nice career for himself. The Spokane, Washington native won back-to-back Stanley Cup championships with the Bolts, and he was an important piece of both title runs.
In 2019-20, he scored 31 points in 65 regular-season games before adding another four goals and seven points in the postseason; the Lightning beat the Dallas Stars in six games in the Stanley Cup Final that year.
He added another 22 points in 55 games in the 2020-21 regular-season, again registering four goals and seven points in the playoffs as Tampa Bay took care of the Montreal Canadiens in five contests.
In July of 2021, Johnson was traded to the Blackhawks, along with a second-round pick in 2023, in exchange for the contract of Brent Seabrook. He hasn’t played in the postseason since, being part of three rebuilding campaigns in the Windy City.
Overall, Johnson has amassed 193 goals and 431 points over 738 career NHL games, averaging 16:26 of ice time in the process. He’s out to prove that he can still make a difference in the league, and he’s hoping to return to the playoffs with the Bruins in 2024-25.
This isn’t the first time Boston has strung along a player well into the season; last year, the front office signed Danton Heinen to a PTO ahead of the season. Heinen didn’t play his first game until October 30, but ended up chipping in 17 goals and 36 points — along with a +16 rating. He was also noticeable for the B’s in the playoffs.
That led to him signing a two-year, $2.25 million contract with the Vancouver Canucks in free agency this summer. Surely, Johnson will be hoping to go on a similar trajectory, but right now, he’s probably just itching to be back on the ice playing meaningful games.
It’ll be intriguing to see if Johnson ends up getting signed by the Bruins in 2024-25.
More must-reads:
- Maple Leafs make six roster cuts with two notable surprises
- Hall of Fame goalie Bernie Parent dies at 80
- The 'Multiple 30-TD pass NFL seasons' quiz
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Patriots have Drake Maye concern after comments by Steelers LB T.J. Watt
The New England Patriots offense had an ugly performance in their 21-14 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday. Steelers linebacker T.J. Watt keyed on what opposing defenses should look to do against the Patriots. Per Albert Breer of Sports Illustrated, Watt said after the game that the Steelers had a plan for how to get the Patriots to cough up the football. “Mike (Tomlin) had a big presentation on it earlier in the week,” Watt said, of the Steelers’ Patriots prep. “I think 38 (Rhamondre Stevenson) had eight or nine fumbles last year (he had seven), which is a very high amount. Four (Antonio Gibson) had a couple fumbles. And we knew 10 (Drake Maye) had a bunch of fumbles as well (he had nine), when he was in the pocket. "It was something we highlighted each and every day. There was a constant reminder throughout the week. We just needed to deliver and I’m glad we did.” Why T.J. Watt's comments are concerning for Patriots Tomlin's presentation worked. The Patriots turned the ball over five times, four of which were lost fumbles. Stevenson lost two fumbles. Maye lost one fumble and had an interception. The issue with Stevenson isn't as big a deal for the Patriots as Maye. Rookie TreVeyon Stevenson will eventually become the lead back in New England. But Watt's diagnosis for Maye is concerning. Part of Maye's successful development in the league will mean he can play efficient football in the pocket. Not only is his passing game a liability there, but opposing defenses know he lacks awareness in the pocket and is susceptible to fumbling. Look for defenses to take advantage of that information until the Patriots can stop committing those turnovers.
Exciting Jordan Addison Development Occurs Ahead of Vikings-Steelers
The Minnesota Vikings are fourth-worst in the NFL with 503 passing yards through three weeks, but they've been compromised. Wide receiver Jordan Addison was suspended for the first three games for violating the NFL's Substances of Abuse Policy. The 23-year-old was arrested on suspicion of DUI near Los Angeles International Airport in July 2024 and pleaded no contest to a "wet reckless" charge this past July, which is a misdemeanor offense. The Vikings drafted Addison No. 23 overall out of USC in 2023, and he was productive in his first two seasons. The 5-foot-11-inch, 175-pounder has career totals of 1,786 receiving yards on 133 catches with 19 touchdowns over 32 games. Addison is now done with his suspension, via NFL Network's Ian Rapoport. "Suspensions are over for 49ers wide receiver Demarcus Robinson and Vikings WR Jordan Addison, who both served three games and are now back with their teams," he reported on Monday. Minnesota will now have its No. 2 receiver back moving forward. Superstar wideout Justin Jefferson leads the team with 12 catches and 200 yards, while the next receiving leader is fellow wideout Josh Nailor with 96 yards. Tight end T.J. Hockenson also has nine receptions for 76 yards. Addison has a better track record than Nailor, who has never topped 414 yards in a season since entering the league in 2022. On the other hand, Hockenson notched 95 catches, 960 yards, and five touchdowns in 2023, but he's a safety blanket underneath and over the middle. Addison can help take the top off of the defense alongside Jefferson, which should open up the Vikings' offense. Vikings Positioned for Success Against Steelers Not only is Minnesota getting Addison back for this Sunday's bout with the Pittsburgh Steelers, but it'll face a defense that ranks 23rd in the NFL with 25.7 points allowed per game. The Steelers did hold the New England Patriots' offense to 14 points in last Sunday's win, but they coughed up 32 points to the New York Jets in Week 1 and 31 to the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2. Vikings quarterback J.J. McCarthy (ankle) is out, but veteran backup Carson Wentz showed he can still play in Sunday's 48-10 trouncing of the Cincinnati Bengals, completing 14 of 20 passes for 173 yards and two touchdowns. They're now 2-1 ahead of their Week 4 matchup with the Steelers in Dublin, Ireland, and could go 3-1 if Addison picks up where he left off.
Ben Johnson sneaks in extra motivation for Bears before Raiders clash
On Sunday, Ben Johnson secured his first win as the Chicago Bears head coach. Ultimately, the Bears played their best football thus far and came away on top by a score of 31-14. A massive relief after back-to-back losses that called into question whether the Bears were actually turning a new leaf. This weekend, Chicago will be traveling to take on the Las Vegas Raiders. A game in which Johnson humbly admits Chicago will enter as the underdog, per Ari Meirov of The 33rd Team. During his Monday press conference, Johnson made his case. Essentially, Johnson says his team will build off the success of their win and use the underdog status as a motivating factor. “We’re looking to piggyback on that performance here and go for our first road win here this week,” Johnson said. “We’re road underdogs already. I think Vegas is picked to beat us, so we got to come out and have a great week of preparation.” Johnson is in his first full season as Bears’ coach. After their 31 point loss to the Detroit Lions, Johnson received blamed from the fans. However, the win over the Cowboys breathed new life back into Chicago and Johnson. The Raiders are also 1-2 to start the season. Ben Johnson’s humility goes a long way for the Bears The fact that Johnson is not sugar coating anything is a sign that he is fully aware of what he is up against. He has the dauting task of trying to resurrect a franchise that has been stuck in a state of despair for years. It is clear that one solid victory where all cylinders click is not the be all end all. When it comes to the Raiders, the Bears have their work cut out for them against the Vegas defense. Their defense led by Maxx Crosby can take advantage of Caleb Williams, who is still in the growth process in his second NFL season. Nevertheless, Williams is fresh off a dominating performance against the Cowboys. He completed 19 out of 28 pass attempts for 298 passing yards along with tying his career high of four touchdowns. Meanwhile, he has a coach in Johnson who is up front about what lies ahead as well as taking one game at a time. That alone is a sign that things are turning around.
Green Bay Packers, Micah Parsons see another Dallas Cowboys offensive starter ruled out for Week 4
Steelers' Cam Heyward Has Massive Advantage To 'Make His Money' In Dublin
The Pittsburgh Steelers sit at 2-1 on the 2025 NFL season after their Week 3 road win over the New England Patriots. This Steelers' defense has been criticized a lot through the first three games, and rightfully so for the most part. They have given up an average of 386 total yards per game. That’s just too much when the quarterbacks you faced are Justin Fields, Sam Darnold, and second-year QB Drake Maye. While the Steelers have shown flashes of dominance, particularly in pass-rush situations, the overall defensive performance has raised concerns about whether this unit can consistently stop opposing offenses. Now, during the Steelers’ 21-14 Week 3 victory in New England, the defense forced five turnovers, including two in the red zone. Those plays were massive, but the question remains: is that level of production sustainable? Obviously not. Steelers media member Bob Pompeani pointed out something very interesting on social media on Monday. Pompeani revealed that the Minnesota Vikings will be without their starting left guard, Donovan Jackson. Jackson’s absence opens a potential vulnerability in the Vikings’ offensive line, and it creates a favorable matchup for Pittsburgh’s defensive front. Backup left guard Blake Brandel will be stepping in against the Steelers in Dublin, Ireland, and this shift could give Cam Heyward and the rest of the defensive line an opportunity to dominate early in the game. Heyward’s presence alone is always a game-changer, but facing a backup lineman significantly increases the Steelers’ pass-rush and run-stopping potential. If Heyward can exploit this matchup, it could set the tone for the Steelers’ defense and help mitigate some of the struggles they’ve faced in the first three games. While the defense still needs to tighten up in coverage and limit big plays, this matchup in Dublin could give Pittsburgh a much-needed edge and possibly a blueprint for slowing down an offense moving forward. As for Heyward earning his money, it’s pretty clear what transpired toward the start of the 2025 season and the end of the offseason. It was leaked that Heyward had been negotiating with the Steelers since early February 2025 about a new deal. This upset Steelers fans, as Heyward had just signed a new deal before the 2024 season. Heyward had turned in an All-Pro season in 2024. He felt he deserved to be compensated for his play and didn’t want to play on his current valuation for the 2025 season. The Steelers addressed this by reworking a deal with Heyward that included incentives. According to Mike Florio’s source at Pro Football Talk, the incentive package is straightforward and clear-cut. Steelers' Cam Heyward Looking To Earn $3.2 Million Bonus In 2025 Heyward gets $1.6 million if he records eight sacks and the Steelers make the playoffs. He earns another $1.6 million if he reaches 11.5 sacks and the Steelers win a playoff game. That’s a total of $3.2 million for Heyward, and currently, he has just one sack through the first three games. In Ireland, he’ll have a favorable matchup to help rack up some sacks toward his incentive bonus. But none of that matters if Pittsburgh doesn’t at least make the playoffs, and for the second half of the bonus, they have to win a playoff game, something a Mike Tomlin team hasn’t done since the 2016 season. Heyward will be looking to rack up sacks in Ireland and will be hopeful that his money will be "Dublin" after Week 4 helps him reach his incentive goals. Are you expecting Steelers' Cam Heyward to fill up the stat sheet in Week 4 in Dublin, Ireland? Why or why not?
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