Anaheim Ducks claim forward Ross Johnston off waivers
The Anaheim Ducks have claimed forward Ross Johnston off waivers from the New York Islanders, Daily Faceoff hockey insider Frank Seravalli reported Tuesday.
Johnston, 29, racked up two points (both assists) and 37 penalty minutes in 16 games with the Islanders during the 2022–23 regular season. He did not dress in the playoffs.
The Islanders originally signed Johnston in 2015 as an undrafted free agent from the QMJHL’s Charlottetown Islanders. The 6’5″ left wing made his NHL debut with the Islanders in the 2015–16 season.
One of the NHL’s most prolific enforcers, Johnston went on to appear in 134 games over parts of seven seasons with the Islanders, collecting nine goals, 24 points, and 283 penalty minutes.
#NHLDucks claimed Ross Johnston off waivers from #isles. He had 3 years left on his deal at $1.1 million.
— Frank Seravalli (@frank_seravalli) October 10, 2023Johnston became a particular favorite of Islanders general manager Lou Lamoriello after he arrived on Long Island in 2018. Lamoriello signed Johnston to a four-year deal in 2018 and then did it again in 2022, upping his AAV from $1 million to $1.1 million in the process.
Now in the second season of that second four-year deal, Johnston will remain in the NHL — but on the Anaheim Ducks’ payroll. He joins a Ducks team destined for the bottom of the Pacific Division standings despite finally re-signing top young players Trevor Zegras and Jamie Drysdale earlier this month.
Johnston will fight for minutes against the likes of Brock McGinn, Max Jones, Sam Carrick, Brett Leason, and B.O. Groulx on the Ducks’ bottom two forward lines. With his contract running all the way to 2026, Johnston has the most job security of any of those players.
The Ducks are slated to kick off their 2023–24 slate of games when they take on the Vegas Golden Knights at T-Mobile Arena on October 14. They’ll return home the following day to welcome the Carolina Hurricanes to Honda Center in Anaheim.