Luke Johnson signs one-year deal with Winnipeg Jets
Jul. 28—As a junior at UND, Luke Johnson settled into a key role on the best team in the country.
Johnson played second-line center, where he scored 11 goals — tying for fourth on the team — and was asked to play against every opponent's best line. His line, along with Rhett Gardner and Austin Poganski, became known as the Heavy Line as they excelled in that defensive role for a Fighting Hawks squad that won the NCAA national title.
It is that excellence at defensive center that has allowed Johnson to reach the NHL in each of the last three seasons — one with the Chicago Blackhawks and two with the Minnesota Wild.
Now, the Grand Forks native will bring his game to the Winnipeg Jets.
Johnson has signed a one-year, two-way contract with Winnipeg that is worth $750,000 if he's in the NHL.
Johnson played 14 games for Minnesota last season, scoring his first NHL goal. He drew praise from head coach Dean Evason for his work in the faceoff circle.
"His work ethic and his grit have been real good," Evason said in April. "He's a real good player."
Johnson will be moving to Winnipeg, which is set with scoring-line forwards but has jobs up for grab in the bottom six.
Johnson's versatility — he can play center or wing — and experience could be an advantage.
Johnson played prep hockey at both Grand Forks Red River and Grand Forks Central, winning a state championship at both schools. After two years with Lincoln in the United States Hockey League, Johnson returned to Grand Forks to play for UND, where his father, Steve, starred in the 1980s.
The 5-foot-11, 174-pound forward became a consistent player at UND, where he eclipsed the 20-point mark in all three seasons. The only game he missed in three years was the last one. Johnson blew out his knee during the 2016 NCAA Frozen Four semifinals against Denver.
After his junior year, Johnson signed with Chicago, which drafted him in the fifth round in 2013. He spent two years with the Blackhawks organization, playing 15 NHL games. He signed with the Wild in 2019 and played 17 NHL games over two years.
Winnipeg reached the second round of the playoffs last season, sweeping the Edmonton Oilers in the first round and getting swept by the Montreal Canadiens in the second.
