Shortly past noon on Sunday, the Penguins and defenseman Jack Johnson are expected to agree on a free agent contract for five years and around $16.25 million.
While nothing can become official until then, talks during the free agency interview period went so well that what Johnson wanted and what the Penguins could offer fit together like puzzle pieces.
The impending deal has been blasted by many, the critics arguing it’s way too many years for a 31-year-old defenseman coming off his worst NHL season, one that he finished as a healthy scratch during the Columbus Blue Jackets’ lone playoff series.