SAN JOSE, Calif. — Defenseman Jack Johnson will get an opportunity to chase a second consecutive Stanley Cup this season, after all.
The Blackhawks traded Johnson on Sunday back to the Avalanche, with whom he won the championship last year, in exchange for defenseman Andreas Englund.
Johnson had been a class act on the Hawks, providing mentorship and leadership in his 17th NHL season without protesting the lack of team success. The swap is primarily intended to give him an opportunity to make something out of this season.
“Everyone who’s been around long enough knows there’s highs and lows as a team and individually throughout an 82-game season,” he said in November. “You have to manage those: can’t get too high, can’t get too low. It’s part of being a professional athlete.”
He tallied four points — all assists — in 58 games for the Hawks while typically paired with Connor Murphy.
Englund fills Johnson’s spot in the lineup and allows the Hawks to keep their prospects in Rockford, as has been their plan all along.
Englund, 27, is a 6-3 left-handed shot with six points — all assists — in 69 career NHL games, including three in 36 games this season. He led the Avalanche with 104 hits.
He’s expected to join the Hawks promptly, with Nikita Zaitsev — who remains in the immigration process after being acquired from the Senators — soon to follow.
