Blackhawks Sign Reese Johnson To Two-Year Extension
On Wednesday afternoon the Blackhawks announced they have signed forward Reese Johnson to a two-year extension that has an $800,000 cap hit.
Johnson, 23, has one goal and five assists in 28 games with the Hawks this season. He has won 67 of 136 faceoffs (49.3 percent) and has been credited with 111 hits.
He originally signed with the Blackhawks as an undrafted free agent out of Red Deer (WHL) in 2019.
The Blackhawks may have their fourth line ready to go for the next two years. Johnson, Mackenzie Entwistle and Boris Katchouk are all now signed through the 2023-24 season and make roughly $2.358 million combined… which is good because the Hawks will have Tyler Johnson on the books for a $5 million cap hit the next two years as well.
Not a huge fan of his. I think he is a 4th line lifer and basically a filler on a team that needs better talent ahead of him…
Good signing, gives a 50% fo guy on 4th line, plays a tough physical game. Like Eddie said last night gotta learn his role and bring those energy shifts earlier not whem its too late. Thought after they made it 2-1 last night, King threw 4th line out right after and that was when the high energy keep the momentum going shift could impacted the game. Instead it was a low key shift that bit them back 33 seconds later.
Noooo! Penalty machine gun, at often the worst times. 0 offense capability, mediocre AHL grinder. Hardman…a stronger choice.
That’s fine, not gonna solve any of the team problems but he has upped his game and consistency from the few games last season when he really looked like an AHL kid
Why does Toews still sport the “C” on his jersey?
I know, He USED TO BE good.
It’s a low risk signing for a guy who is a physical presence. He can work on his FO% to add to his game. Looking at the Rockford Roster, there are some forwards that are worth looking at. Hardman, Slavin, and Teply. Although Teply is the youngest of the three and will probably be at Rockford.
Defensively, the Blackhawks and the pipeline from Rockford, will be interesting. This last game, with LA, having big defensemen was such a difference. That being said, Ian Mitchell has definitely shown an affinity for both sides of the puck. He is definitely a contender for the QB of the 2PP. Kalynuk is a FA and that might see him go elsewhere. As much as I like him and his game. He is 6′-1″ opposed to Mitchell’s 5′-10″. If the Blackhawks are thinking size, size, size. That may be the deciding factor. But, I kinda doubt it. Mitchell is a good player. He’s just lacking that physical stature.
Goaltending will be an interesting question. Soderblom? An acquisition? I dunno.
The kids in the pipeline? They would probably go to Rockford anyways. That pipeline needs to be replenished. Interesting times to be sure.
Getting in on the conversation on draft picks.
If you want to see some of the possible players of the future, you should watch this years NCAA Frozen Four.
The Michigan – Denver games was very good not the junk the Hawks are giving us.
In the Semi-finals, Michigan rowed out 13 drafted players out of 20 dressed. That included the #1 pick and 4 of the top 7 picks. Denver rowed out only 12 drafted players. Spoiler alert DU won in OT. In the other bracket Minnesota rowed out 14 drafted players and was creamed by Minnesota State that had only 2 drafted players. Almost half the player from the 4 U’s were/are drafted before the games started. Another spoiler alert Minnesota State’s 18 game winning streak ended.
In the last post, someone mentioned that Keenan took over the Rangers an already built winning team that won the Cup and left it a mess. Sounds like the Hawks with Q?
Toot, Q won 3 Cups and was given the pink slip.
Iron Mike won his Cup and invoked a breach of contract to become Coach/GM of STL.
Hey what do you know Copp scored again. That’s 5 goals in 12 games for the Rangers. With his 8 assists that’s 13 points in 12 games. A point a game rate. Not bad for a guy someone said stinks. Could have fit in a 5 year rebuild. At 27 could have been a 32 year old veteran leader with Sandpaper! But what do I know.
Winnipeg gonna be my sleeper in the next few years if they keep the guys I like. They still have Lowry and PLB with Hbuck in net.
He’s cheap and has a chippy physical presence. I think KD at least has the 4th line down.
@Reese Johnson – I like this kid. He brings it every night, and he does have some offensive game, yet he is not using it because his coach is a clown. But, I really like the bottom guys that we have in Reese Johnson, Entwhistle, Slavin, Katschouk, Lafferty, and Hardman. No need to bring in others! Just get rid of the remaining Nylanders!
@Dach and Reichel – These two utes need to work their arses off this summer and come in ready to play on the the top 6. That is a must for our team to be successful next year.
Line 1 – Strome, Cat, Kane
Line 2 – Reichel, Dach, Raddysh
Line 3 – Lafferty, Entwhistle, Katschouk
Line 4 – Johnson, Slavin, Hardman
Left Out – Toews, T Johnson, Kubalik, Kurashev, Borgstrom…Move ’em out!! Rawhide!!
I really think it’s a good signing at that price and the kid love to play and always give 100% and he can improve is game a bit easily.
Brings a lot of energy on the ice .just 23 y o
Every time I see those 2 letters KD. I always think at the KD KraftDinner add on TV a few years ago .
KD is really Kraft Dinner and I wonder iff KD will last has long
The Hawks chance are getting bigger and closer to the lottery ticket .it could be a big difference if they could get a top 2 player who can drive the team in 3-4 years from now.
JR Roman if Andrew Copp is such a star why did Winnipeg let him go?
In eight years in the league Copp has consistently missed games. This year has been his best offensive season with 18 goals and 30 assists 48 points in 68 games. Copp would have been absolutely useless in terms of a rebuild for Chicago. Copp as zero sandpaper….most penalty minutes he has ever taken in a season is 20 and has a total of 90 penalty minutes in his career. Copp is OK as a player but definitely not the type of player the hawks need in a rebuild.
JR Roman have you even watched Copp play 1 game?
If the ping pong balls bounce our way and we end up with a top 2 pick, I wonder if KD would consider trading it. I’d definitely shop it around and see what kind of offers we’d get for it.
I’m not sure that RJ is still a regular by the time the Hawks are a playoff team but for now on a 2 year cheap deal he’s fine and he may develop a bit yet
I like Slavin more but we’ll see
Top 6 next year will be interesting- I expect neither 19 or 88 to be in CHI after TDL 2023 and perhaps Kane will even be traded this off season
Toews I don’t think can be traded even with 50% retained in off season but if he can have a better year next year he could go at TDL next year
Wrap agree, signings like this one right now are about who you want atound for next couple of years. Going to take some time to bring in some new blood and develop them to be on your roster when starting the next phase. Alot of what see in next year or 2 will be fillers rather than future pieces.
Hard to say about Toews, have to wait and see where its going. A team looking for center depth and weak on fos could be interested even you had retain and take a contract back. Blackhawks may want to keep him and give youngsters a chance to develop at C without the worry of overwhelming them. At tdl would be the easiest with retained salary a team not in ltir could pick him up for as little as 1.4m deadline capspace. Sounds like he intends to play but a team like Vegas would love to have an off season ltir hit like that to help there cap hell situation.
With the players signed in Chicago and Rockford, this team is still a last place team. So it doesn’t matter what a 4th line signing does. Hawks have ZERO top 6 talent other than Dcat and Kane…..NONE, ZIP, NADA, ZILTCH…… y’all understand now ?? Dach, 3rd liner, Reichal, 3rd liner…..
Watched at the u c the Dallas game
Toews is shot looks very disinterested
Dach doesn’t keep his stick on the ice ,missed several passes and can’t make a
Clean fast accurate pass
Reichel up 8 games and nothing to show for it , very weak along the boards
Years ago when the hawks had a potential star ( 18 27 etc)
They would make an impact almost right away
Very poor defense and no goaltending is very obvious here .
12,88,11,14, 17 are keepers the rest are
Minor league players and yet the hawks want to fill the u c
With gimmickry and special promotions
Not looking good
I say keep king. Let him get his own people
Crawford and the other guy has to go
There is a disconnect with king and Crawford. Crawford is part of the problem. Not part of the solution
Dach wants yo be center so he can free wheel but he is terrible at the dot and a poor passer plus I don’t think he has a very high ho c key sense
He’s big and strong yet can’t win board battles. Let him go
Just my 2 cents
Ian, Wrap: I agree regarding the 2 year deal, your going to need bodies to get you thru the “rebuild” part, there’s always the premise that Reese could develop into a player that you may want to keep on later when the “rebuild” phase is nearing the end. It’s not a flashy signing but it appears that KD is getting his ducks in a row. Regarding 19 and 88: I’m betting they finish their contracts next year with the Hawks. Toews then retires, Kane goes to the highest bidder. Keeps some fans in the seats and after next year it’ll free up some big time $$ for the “rebuild”. But if you get a great offer for either and they agree to it………..pull the trigger.
OMB
Somebody wants to trade the lucky ping pong ball number 1 or 2 Iff we win the lottery .
Maybe it’s possible iff the offer is really high like number 3 pick plus next 2 years first round pick and a prospect . Need to wake up from my dream now.
Stape gotta say only watch Copp against the Hawks or maybe on a National telecast. Will probably be seeing him during playoffs. Didn’t mean to conjure thoughts to build around him just to be a piece. I believe chemistry is one of the biggest factors in a hockey team.
28, 52, 28, 34, 47, 22 those are the penalty minutes a year that Bolland had. He was sandpaper to play against wasn’t he? He was an important piece on the team wasn’t he?
Stape I forgot to answer your question, why did Winnipeg get rid of Copp.
Answer: The Jets got rid of Copp because,
1) They got a prospect. That’s a body for a body.
2) They received a fifth round pick for a sixth round pick. That’s an upgrade in a pick for pick trade.
3) They received 2nd round pick that could turn into a first round pick. Let’s take the best case scenario so That’s a 1st round pick.
4) They received the better of second round pick of the Rangers or the Blues.
So in summary Winnipeg replaced a player for a player
plus upgraded up round in the draft and received at best a 1st rd pick and a 2nd round pick extra.
Stape why did we trade Hagel?
Until we have so many roster spots taken up by extremely talented irreplaceable players, I am not against rewarding the Reese Johnson’s and Dimitri Osipov’s of the world. Their good fighters and they make the Hawks harder to play against. At present, can you imagine how comfy opponents feel coming into the United Center. Who in the Hawks current line-up is going to keep them from bullying us. They probably feel safer than at a chuch. I’m an old-timer. I remember when we had Keith Magnuson, Bill Russell, Dan Maloney, Jerry Korab, etc. Except for the Bruins, nobody ever gave us any crap. Opponents wouldn’t dare take liberties with our skill players. That all changed when Gary Bettwoman took over the league moderating the game on the odd chance that it was offensive to some granny that might have attended a game once in her life.