Brent Johnson is the prototypical back-up goaltender. It is a job that just seems to work for him and he does a wonderful job in that role. He seemed to earn Dan Bylsma’s trust early in this season and went on to post an impressive 10-6-1 record.
That performance has earned Johnson a contract extension and the 33 year old known as Johnny by his teammates will stay with the Penguins for two more seasons.
The contract will kick in next season and will pay Johnson $600,000 in each of the next two years.
Here is the official release:
PENGUINS SIGN GOALTENDER BRENT JOHNSON TO TWO-YEAR CONTRACT EXTENSION
The Pittsburgh Penguins have signed goaltender Brent Johnson to a two-year contract extension, it was announced today by executive vice president and general manager Ray Shero.
The new contract goes into effect at the start of the 2010-11 season and will run through 2011-12. Johnson will earn $600,000 in 2010-11 and $600,000 in 2011-12. With Johnson and Marc-Andre Fleury, who is signed through 2014-15, the Penguins have solidified their depth at the goaltending position.
Johnson, 33, has provided a steady veteran presence in goal for Pittsburgh since the Penguins signed him as an unrestricted free agent last summer.
Johnson, whose father Bob Johnson was a goaltender with Pittsburgh in the 1974-75 season, played 23 games for the Penguins this year, finishing with a 10-6-1 record, 2.76 goals-against average and .906 save percentage. The 6-foot-3, 199-pound netminder surrendered two goals or less in 16 of his 23 appearances.
Johnson, a nine-year NHL veteran, has played in 270 career games with St. Louis, Phoenix, Washington and Pittsburgh, posting a 121-100-13-13 record with a 2.64 goals-against average, .903 save percentage and 13 shutouts. He has appeared in 12 playoff games (all with St. Louis), posting a 5-6 record with an eye-popping 1.84 goals-against average and .931 save percentage.
The Farmington, Mich. native broke into the league with St. Louis in the 2000-01 season. The next season he became St. Louis’ starting goalie, going 34-20-4 with a 2.18 goals-against average and .902 save percent.
Johnson carried that strong play into the postseason and became the first goaltender in NHL history to register three shutouts in his first three career playoff victories. Johnson also became the fourth goaltender in league history to notch three consecutive shutouts and seventh overall to post three shutouts in one playoff series. Johnson still holds St. Louis franchise record for consecutive shutout minutes in the postseason (206:45).
Johnson, who was originally drafted by Colorado in the fifth round (129th overall) of the 1995 NHL Entry Draft, played three seasons with Owen Sound of the Ontario Hockey League, registering 47 wins and two shutouts.
Everybody Loves BJ : ) No Seriously Good Signing
Nice… Did you catch your shout out in the Around the Net blog?? 😉
No I didn’t Darn it
Good signing… shores up the goaltending position for a while.
Wonder what it means for John Curry’s future? Thiessen seems to be getting most of the play as of late for WBS, and is a couple of years younger.
It seems like Curry is an anual NHL tease who everybody keeps waiting on to step up and assume the backup duties. I know I’ve been one of the people waiting. But if we can hold on to Johnson for that money I’m all for it. He’s more than capable of getting the Pens through any extended Fleury injuries.
Johnson was experience as both a starter and a backup…..I ‘ll take it and smile. Thiessen is a good 2 years out from seeing any time in the NHL. Curry will end up a career AHL goalie, and that’s not a bad thing, it just is what it is.
Curry is a never was !! Plain & simple !! He got beat out by Thiessen for the Starting Goaltending job with WB/S. Nuff said !!
they Signed Patrick Killeen today too
Signed Carl Sneep too
http://www.kuklaskorner.com/index.php/tc/comments/penguins_sign_prospects_sneep_killeen/