After signing new seven-year, $35 million contract, Tyler Johnson has a clear mission

By Erik Erlendsson | @Erik_Erlendsson | Like us on Facebook
July 10, 2017

Tyler Johnson has won at nearly every level of competition he’s ever played.

With Spokane he won a Memorial Cup. With Team USA he won gold at the 2010 World Juniors. In the American Hockey League, he own a Calder Cup.

In hockey circles, the former undrafted center is, by definition, a winner.

Now, he hopes to capture the one elusive trophy he has yet to add to the mantle – a Stanley Cup.

Should that happen, he’s almost assured to do that in Tampa after Johnson signed a new seven-year contract on Monday worth $35 million, carrying an annual salary cap hit of $5 million. By signing a new deal, the restricted free agent avoids an arbitration hearing.

The contract pays Johnson, by year – $5 million, $6.75 million, $5.5 million, $3.75 million, $5.5 million, $3.75 million and $4.75 million while including a no-trade clause and a limited no-trade clause toward the tail end of the deal, according to Darren Dreger.

After signing the new deal, Johnson spoke with Lightning Insider on what the new deal means, how bad he wants to win a championship for the fans and what he’s altered to in his training that has him feeling more energized and “transformed’’ his body heading toward training camp.

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Lightning Insider: What does signing this new contract mean for you?

Tyler Johnson: “Ever since I got to Tampa it’s just been an unbelievable time for me, an unbelievable ride, we’ve had some great teams, we’ve had some great seasons and I wanted to be a part of this organization. I love the direction where it’s going, I think we have a bright future with the group that we have. I want to win a Stanley Cup for the city of Tampa.”

Lightning Insider: How different was this contract situation compared the last one (a three-year deal with a $3.3 million cap hit) when you were coming out of your entry level contract?

Tyler Johnson: “I think it was a little bit different the first time just because the timing of it, we definitely waited until the end of the season to get anything done. With this one we pretty much talked throughout the entire season here and there. There were a lot of other things we needed to focus on and things had to happen, but it was just one of those things where it was a waiting game and things needed to unravel. It was very positive just like the first one, there wasn’t a whole lot of back and forth or anything like that. It just all kind of worked out pretty well. I think at the very beginning Steve said they wanted me and I wanted to be there so it’s really just a perfect fit.”

Lightning Insider: You posted an Instragram message saying you thought of Tampa as your second home, how much has it become that?

Tyler Johnson: “It’s kind of funny to say, but when I first signed with Tampa I didn’t really have any expectations of it, I had never been to Florida or even to Tampa and I never even thought about playing hockey there. I remember from the first development camp there, I fell in love with the city. Then I got to play there more and more and then finally becoming a fulltime player down there, getting to live there and end up buying my house and to become a resident to see the city’s growth since I’ve been there and just the people . . . it’s been unbelievable. It really is a second home to me and it’s something I could eventually see my family moving down there, they love it so much, it’s an amazing place.”

Lightning Insider: While the city has grown since your arrival, what have you seen from the organization and the fan base in terms of overall growth?

Tyler Johnson: “Ever since I’ve been here, I really can’t say anything negative about any of the players that have been in our organization, I think that says a lot with Mr. Vinik and Mr. Yzerman and the way they pick our team and pick the players that are a part of it. That just makes everything more fun. And the skill we have, the guys that just really want to win championships, that’s everyone’s main goal coming in. So when you are a part of something like that, that’s amazing. Then the fans, I literally can’t say enough about them. Every night we are playing it’s an unbelievable feeling playing in front of them and to be able to walk the streets and get to know them a little bit, it’s pretty amazing that all the way down in Florida when the weather is great and there’s a ton of other things to do, they love to come out and support us. We really need to win a championship for this fan group and that is what we are working for.”

Lightning Insider: You have won a championship at just about every level you’ve played, so how much is winning a Stanley Cup a driving force for you?

Tyler Johnson: “It’s my ultimate goal and something I’ve always dreamt about as a kid. I’ve been very fortunate that I’ve played on some good teams and won on some other leagues and done all that. But nothing compares to a Stanley Cup. Getting so close to one one year in the Finals and the next year getting back to the conference finals, that just really gets your hunger even more. We are ready for it and that’s another reason I really wanted to win in Tampa, I truly believe that with our organization and our team, that’s going to happen eventually and I want to be part of it.”

Lightning Insider: Do you think in any way you might have left some money on the table in this deal, taking the longer term but on less salary?

Tyler Johnson: I’m not really sure, I don’t really care, it’s not something I concern myself with. All I did was tell my agent that I want to be in Tampa and to try to work it out and they were able to do that.”

Lightning Insider: How important was getting the seven-year deal?

Tyler Johnson: “It pretty much sets up everything for me and I don’t have to worry about this anymore. It’s nice to not have to worry about a contract or anything, all I have to do is focus on winning a championship and doing everything I possibly can for our team.”

Lightning Insider: You recently attended a reunion in Norfolk to celebrate the fifth year anniversary of winning a Calder Cup championship, how was that experience?

Tyler Johnson: “It was amazing and Norfolk was such a special year with the team we had and the fans we had. Going back, and knowing the group that we had it was going to be fun but to be completely honest I didn’t know if we were going to have a big turnout at the fan event or what we were going to have there. It’s been five years, it’s a different organization, a different league even, so everything is just different. But when we got there, the turn out was just unbelievable. I think we sat there for about three hours signing autographs for people and I think they even had to cut off the line at one point or we weren’t going to be able to have dinner. That city was unbelievable to us and that group of guys we had, we only played together for one season most of us, but it sure felt like a lot more. We had the 28-game win streak and the championship kind of builds on everything, but it was phenomenal.”

Lightning Insider: Both Dan Girardi and Chris Kunitz recently signed free agent contracts to join the Lightning, what do you think those players can add to your team?

Tyler Johnson: “Personally I don’t know them at all but have heard unbelievable things about their character and how they are in the locker room and that’s always a big positive for us, that’s something our organization looks for. So I think that’s really going to help us. As far as players, they are two tough guys to play against. Playing against Kunitz, I had some pretty good battles against him. And Girardi, he’s pretty much a tank back there, one of the toughest guys to get a shot through, it’s almost impossible when he’s in front of you. I know Vasy will be liking that. I think we are excited about it, I think it’s going to help our team out. Getting that veteran presence is really good for us and I’m really excited to introduce myself accordingly and have a good camp with them.”

Lightning Insider: With the extended summer, how is your offseason training program progressin?

Tyler Johnson: “It’s been amazing. I’ve changed a few things up. I stayed in Tampa a little longer this summer, with having the prolonged summer, so I started my workouts down there and had some great training that I was able to bring back here. I figured out some things for me, which has been great. And having this extra break, this extra rest, you don’t want this to happen very often or ever again, but I think this could have been the best thing.’’

Lightning Insider: Having missed the playoffs last season, how much hunger does that provide heading in to the upcoming season?

Tyler Johnson: “It’s weird, when we lost in the Final a couple of years ago, we had that hunger to get back there. But this was a lot more of a humbling experience and you kind of realize we have to be a lot better, and we know that. I think that as soon as the season got over, we were ready to go. I remember the past couple of years going long in the playoffs, after the playoffs I just wanted to rest. But my body was not ready to do that this time so I just had to get back in and start working. I’m ready, this is way too long of a summer for me.’’

Lightning Insider: You are not used to having this type of a long summer, how have you dealt with all the extra time off?

Tyler Johnson: To be honest, I think the last time I had a summer this long I think I was 17 or 18. Even that year we lost in the playoffs to Montreal, I played in the World Championships. So my body feels like this has been a long summer, but it’s well rested. I’ve changed some things around, I’ve already done some testing which is already better than what it was at the end of last year. I’m excited with what has been happening, (strength coach) Marc Lambert has really helped me out this summer in a lot of different aspects so I’m really excited to see what is going to happen in the next month and a half then head to training camp and seeing what I can do.”

Lightning Insider: So have you changed things around or just altered a few things here and there?

Tyler Johnson: “Changed some training things and did some nutrition tests to figure out what my body needs and I think that has also helped out a lot and sort of transformed my body just because now I’m getting the right stuff. It’s different for everybody, but we’ve been able to pinpoint some things and it’s been great.”

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