The Los Angeles Kings agreed to terms on a two-year contract with restricted free agent defenceman Jack Johnson.
Johnson, 22, matched a career-high with 11 points, recorded 46 penalty minutes and tied for first among Kings' defencemen with six goals and three power-play goals even though he only appeared in 41 regular season games this past season. The Indianapolis native also tied for first among NHL defencemen with three shootout goals this past season and his three shootout goals also tied for first on the Kings.
Johnson, who earlier this month was invited to attend the 2009 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Orientation Camp (August 17-19 in Woodbridge, Illinois) along with teammates Dustin Brown, Jonathan Quick and Rob Scuderi, has skated with Team USA on several occasions. He last represented Team USA at the 2009 World Championships (9 GP, 5-2=7) where his five goals led all defensemen in the tournament (tied for fifth overall) and his seven points tied for fourth most among defensemen in the tournament.
Johnson was originally selected by Carolina in the first-round (3rd overall) in the 2005 NHL Entry Draft.
Johnson, acquired by the Kings along with defenceman Oleg Tverdovsky for center Eric Belanger and defenceman Tim Gleason on Sept. 29, 2006, has 22 points and 140 penalty minutes in 120 career NHL regular season games – all with the Kings.