Longtime NHL veteran and ex-Rangers defenseman issues heartbreaking announcement at 38-years old
Former New York Rangers defenseman and longtime NHL veteran, Jack Johnson, has officially retired from playing hockey at 38-years old.
The news hit Monday morning through a report from Peter Baugh, with Johnson stepping away from playing and sliding right into pro scouting with Vancouver.
General Manager Patrik Allvin announced today that the #Canucks have hired Jack Johnson as a pro-scout.
It's a pretty fitting next stop for a defenseman who made a living on reads and survival shifts. Johnson finishes with 1,228 NHL games and 342 points, plus 639 penalty minutes, across a long list of stops.
Rangers fans mostly remember him as the calm veteran plug during the messy 2020-21 season. He dressed for 13 games, scored one goal, and averaged 16:58 a night before core muscle repair surgery ended his year.
He never tried to be flashy in New York, and that was the point. Simple exits, hard rims, and enough net-front bite to make the crease a little less comfortable.
Jack Johnson joins the Vancouver Canucks scouting
Pro scouting is basically the same muscle, watching details, tracking habits, and calling what actually translates.
The resume has some real shine, too. Johnson was the No. 3 pick in 2005, won the Stanley Cup with the Colorado Avalanche in 2022, and took home Olympic silver with Team USA in 2010.
Jack Johnson has officially retired from hockey and is joining the Canucks scouting staff.
He played 1,228 games with the Kings, Blue Jackets, Penguins, Rangers, Avs and Blackhawks and won a Stanley Cup with Colorado and a silver medal at the 2010 Olympics.
He played 1,228 games with the Kings, Blue Jackets, Penguins, Rangers, Avs and Blackhawks and won a Stanley Cup with Colorado and a silver medal at the 2010 Olympics.
For the Canucks, adding a recently retired defenseman can matter, especially when you're grading depth blue-liners and third-pair fits. Johnson has been that guy, he knows how thin the margin is between playable and unplayable.
Now the next milestone is seeing how quickly Johnson's eye for the game turns into real wins upstairs.
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Previously on NY Hockey Insider
| POLL | ||
JANVIER 6 | 93 ANSWERS Longtime NHL veteran and ex-Rangers defenseman issues heartbreaking announcement at 38-years old Will Jack Johnson thrive as a Vancouver Canucks pro scout? | ||
| Yes | 38 | 40.9 % |
| No | 13 | 14 % |
| Too soon | 22 | 23.7 % |
| Unsure | 20 | 21.5 % |
| List of polls | ||