24 hours after Jason Pominville returned to the Sabres, another former player is heading back to Buffalo. Chad Johnson, who played for the Sabres in 2015-2016 is returning to Western New York, signing a one-year deal worth $2.5 million.
Last season, Johnson appeared in 36 games with the Calgary Flames, posting an 18-15-1 record along with a .910 save percentage and 2.59 goals against average. The year prior, Johnson was a solid, steady backup for the Sabres, finishing the season with a 22-16 record.
Bové's take:
The more I think about it the more I like the move for the Sabres. Like many, I imagined Linus Ullmark was going to be the backup behind Robin Lehner to start the season, but that's clearly no longer the case.
It's hard to imagine the Sabres bringing in Johnson and not having him in the opening night lineup in some capacity, especially when you look at the term of the deal.
The move allows Ullmark another year to develop his game in the AHL while remaining under contract the following season. New GM Jason Botterill has said several times that he plans on being competitive and taking the necessary time to develop players in Rochester. This move proves that, while also providing the Sabres with a very capable backup, who has proven to be a likeable teammate in the locker room.
