Sports: Lightning sign contract with center Johnson

Lightning sign contract with center Johnson

By KEVIN KELLY

His speed and physical play impressed Lightning general manager Rick Dudley enough to trade for Ryan Johnson last season.

After signing a one-year contract with $484,000 Monday, the restricted free agent center is eager to build on those impressions.

"It's just nice to get it done so there's no interference with camp," Johnson said. "I'm anxious to get back to playing. I'm looking forward to it, looking for a fresh start."

Acquired in March as part of a three-player trade that sent forward Mike Sillinger to the Florida Panthers, Johnson played in just 14 games for the Lightning and recorded two assists last season.

"From what I take talking to them (Lightning officials), they look to me as a player to hopefully play against the other teams' better lines, shut them down and help out with penalty killing," said Johnson, a native of Thunder Bay, Ontario. "I'm really willing to do whatever they ask."

Johnson, the Panthers' fourth choice (36th overall) in the 1994 draft, has five goals and 16 assists in 91 career NHL games since 1997. The 24-year-old finished with four goals and 14 assists in 80 games last season.

"We feel Ryan is a big piece of our future," Dudley said in a release. "He has a lot of speed and uses it well, and we think he'll have a real good upside in the NHL."

Four restricted free agents remain unsigned: defensemen Kaspars Astashenko, Pavel Kubina and Bryan Muir, and center Wayne Primeau. Those players can sign with the Lightning, work out a deal with another team with the Lightning receiving compensation or hold out when camp opens on Sept. 7.

AVALANCHE: Colorado and captain Joe Sakic avoided salary arbitration, with both sides agreeing to a one-year contract that will pay Sakic $7.9-million next season.

BLACKHAWKS: Chicago defenseman Bryan McCabe won his salary arbitration case and was awarded a one-year contract worth $2.15-million.

FLAMES: Grant Fuhr is thinking about a comeback with Calgary. The goalie, who will turn 38 in September, said he played his last game April 8 against Edmonton. Fuhr, currently on vacation, might show up at training camp.

RED WINGS: Uwe Krupp and Detroit will meet with an arbitrator Thursday in New York to determine if the club owes the injured defenseman the $12.3-million left on his contract.

- Information from Times wires was used in this report.