TYLER JOHNSON JOINS CHICAGO
The Chicago Blackhawks acquired forward Tyler Johnson and a second-round draft pick in 2023 from the Tampa Bay Lightning for defenseman Brent Seabrook.
What does it give the Chicago Blackhawks
Whether Johnson plays a third-line center role behind Kirby Dach and Jonathan Toews, or whether he plays wing in a top-six forward gig, he should be a solid addition to the Blackhawks. With Seth Jones, Marc-Andre Fleury and now Johnson added to the mix, Chicago is clearly looking to make a giant step forward.
What does it give the Tampa Bay Lightning
This trade was necessary for Tampa Bay because of their salary cap situation. Losing Johnson, after already losing third-line center Yanni Gourde in the expansion draft, hurts. However, Tampa Bay should be OK now in terms of the salary cap. Make no mistake: the Bolts are still Stanley Cup contenders for the foreseeable future.
Fantasy impact
Johnson's stock is going to rise back up with the move to Chicago, as his role should be larger with his new team. Expect a bounce-back campaign from him. Seabrook has retired from the NHL, so his contract was moved merely for salary-cap purposes.
