Boston Bruins Agreement: “I’ve always just wanted to be a part of that…………..

“I’d like to play some meaningful hockey and get back in the playoffs…That’s where it’s all at. That’s where I’ve always loved,” he said. “I’ve always just wanted to be a part of that, and when you’re not, especially the last few years here doing what we’re doing, it’s been pretty tough.”

The Bruins will hope Tyler Johnson can deliver a similar impact. Don Sweeney announced that they signed the 34-year-old forward, who can play center or wing on Saturday.

The 5-foot-8, 185-pound right-shot forward Johnson played 67 games for the Blackhawks last season, tallying 17 goals and 14 assists. Before spending the final three seasons with Chicago, the Spokane, Washington native was a two-time Stanley Cup winner with the Tampa Bay Lightning (2020 and 2021).

SportsNet Canada listed him as the best free agent left available last week and wrote:

“The two-time Cup champ will need to accept a reduced salary on his next team, but he brings character, experience and the versatility of playing wing or centre.

We can see him playing third-line centre on a playoff team — which he would prefer to another rebuilding group.”

In his 12-year career — nine with the Lightning and three with the Blackhawks — he has 193 goals and 238 assists in 431 regular season games. He has three goals and nine assists in 30 career games vs. the Bruins. He has 32 goals and 33 assists in 116 postseason games.

Early in his career, he was nominated three times for the Selke Award and scored five short goals in his debut season.

He’ll probably fight for playing time on the penalty kill as well as the third and fourth lines.