The Boston Bruins had a quasi-reunion last night when they faced a Chicago Blackhawks club that included numerous former players. While Taylor Hall, Tyler Bertuzzi, and Pat Maroon represented the host Blackhawks at the celebration, the Bruins showed up empty-handed, having forgotten to bring one of their Chicago alumni.
Tyler Johnson was removed from the Bruins’ lineup last night, missing out on a return to Chicago after spending the previous three seasons as a seasoned leader with the Blackhawks. Two months into his debut season in Boston, Johnson is still looking for his role and voice with the Bruins.
“You can’t just walk into the room and take control. “That is simply not how it works,” Johnson told BHN last week. “You kind of have a feeling out process, which I absolutely had. That’s what made my circumstances difficult at the start of the season.” Johnson waited months before making his Bruins debut. He arrived in late August on a professional tryout contract, shortly before training camp began, but he didn’t formally join the squad until he signed a guaranteed contract in early November.
“You’re sort of part of the team but not really part of the team,” says Johnson. “During practices, you’re kind of there, but not really.
It was a lot of toeing the line before I signed. There has been a lot of, I don’t want to say reluctance, but simply trying to sort things out.” Johnson had only two assists and five shots on goal in his first eight games as a Bruin. He hasn’t played poorly, but he hasn’t made much of an impact, either, as he continues to figure out how and where he fits into the lineup.
To make matters worse, just as Johnson was settling in, the Bruins fired Jim Montgomery and appointed Joe Sacco as temporary coach.
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“Going through camp and stuff here, I was trying to learn a lot,” Johnson recalled. “Then Joe takes over as coach and makes a few adjustments, so it’s almost like a double. I guess I’m just using my experience. I’ve played on a variety of platforms and in a variety of ways, so I’m simply attempting to play the game. When you try to think too much, I believe you become your own worst enemy.
Sacco has left Johnson out of the lineup for three consecutive games and does not appear to be planning any changes now that the Bruins are on their first winning streak of the season.
“It’s just the play of other people when they come in,” Sacco told me. “He has been fine. That’s his current role. He will be in and out of the lineup at various stages throughout the year. It’s dependent on other individuals performing well.”
Johnson admits that he could have done more with his opportunities to play. He also mentioned having trouble finding his voice. Despite Johnson’s 13-year tenure in the league, which included two Stanley Cup victories, the Bruins already have a strong leadership group.
“Obviously, Marchand because he’s probably the guy that I’ve played against the most,” Johnson replied. “He just has such a loud voice. But then, as Charlie McAvoy or Coyle
or Brandon Carlo, I had no idea how powerful their voices were and how really nice individuals they are.” However, Johnson is not content with his current situation.
He arrived to Boston with a purpose. Even though he doesn’t know what it is, he’s determined to find it.
“There’s still a way to go,” Johnson added. “I’m still trying to develop some chemistry and figure out how each of us plays. I felt that this would be a wonderful fit for me. I knew the culture and how these guys played. I accepted that and was prepared for it.”
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