NHL Free Agency: Grading the Penguins’ signings

Penguins waste their extra cap space on defenseman Jack Johnson

All of that hope the Penguins sparked in their fans in the Sheary/Hunwick trade that they would spend their money on a quality defenseman were dashed when the team regrettably announced it would be signing 31-year-old ex-Columbus Blue Jacket Jack Johnson. It was the one near- universally decried move Rutherford has made this offseason.

It wasn’t even so much about Johnson himself, though he did have a down year with the Blue Jackets. Folks balked at the contract he signed, which spanned five years and was reportedly worth $16.25 million. The prospect of still paying an at-best average defenseman at age 36 did not sit well with Penguins fans, especially in conjunction with signing the 41-year-old Cullen.

Rutherford appears to know something about the way the Blue Jackets handled Johnson’s minutes last season that no one else in the league did (or would publicly discuss).

“I don’t think he had a bad year,” Rutherford said in defense of the Johnson signing. “He was a healthy scratch at the end of the season. I know the reason why. It wasn’t because of how he was playing.”

If Rutherford really does have insider information on Johnson that would assuage Penguins fans’ concerns, he should really consider sharing it. Based on Blue Jackets Coach John Tortorella literally telling Rutherford to “shut the f— up” about his organization’s personnel decisions, chances are Rutherford is just blowing smoke in an attempt to save face.

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Who knows, maybe playing in the Penguins system with the likes of Crosby is exactly the kind of motivation Johnson needs to regain his competency. But as it stands, Rutherford signed an old, unproven defenseman who isn’t guaranteed to make the Penguins better. Hopefully Rutherford’s spies were right, but until then, this move has to be judged at face value.

Grade: D+