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The Pittsburgh Penguins acquired defenseman Ryan Johnson from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for Caleb Jones and Daniel Laatsch. The move helps Pittsburgh reduce its contract count while Buffalo gains veteran depth.
The Pittsburgh Penguins have acquired defenseman Ryan Johnson from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for Caleb Jones and Daniel Laatsch. The transaction was announced on Monday by Pittsburgh President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Kyle Dubas.
Johnson, 25, is signed through the end of the 2027-28 season with an average annual value of $875,000, according to the Pittsburgh Penguins. The 6-foot-1, 195-pound left-shot defenseman was originally drafted by Buffalo in the first round, 31st overall, of the 2019 NHL Draft.
Johnson has played 47 career NHL games, all with Buffalo. He recorded seven assists during his rookie season in 2023-24, when he played a career-high 41 games. In the 2024-25 and 2025-26 seasons, he appeared in only three NHL games each year. He began the 2026-27 season with the Rochester Americans, the Sabres' American Hockey League affiliate, where he played four games and was plus-2.
Prior to his professional career, Johnson played four seasons at the University of Minnesota and represented Team USA at the 2021 World Junior Championship, winning a gold medal.
The trade allows the Penguins to reduce their contract count. According to Yahoo Sports, the move helps Pittsburgh drop to 48 contracts, within the 50 allotted per year. Caleb Jones, 29, had cleared waivers weeks prior to the trade. He played seven NHL games with the Penguins last season before injuries and a suspension for violating the terms of the NHL/NHLPA Performance Enhancing Substances Program ended his season.
Daniel Laatsch, 24, was a seventh-round draft pick by Pittsburgh in 2021. He spent the 2025-26 season splitting time between the AHL's Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and the ECHL’s Wheeling Nailers. Laatsch had not played in the 2026-27 season prior to the trade.
For the Sabres, the trade adds veteran blue-line depth. Jones has played for five teams over his eight-year career. His most consistent recent season was 2022-23 with the Chicago Blackhawks, where he skated in 73 games and recorded 16 points (four goals, 12 assists). Jones has not played in the NHL during the 2026-27 season.
Laatsch is described as a lanky defender who spent four seasons at the University of Wisconsin. He has yet to play in the AHL or NHL for Buffalo as of the trade announcement.
This transaction primarily serves as roster management for the Pittsburgh Penguins, allowing them to shed two minor-league contracts and create space within their 50-contract limit. For Buffalo, the acquisition of Jones provides experienced defensive depth, while Johnson moves to a new organization where he may have an opportunity to redefine his role after spending the majority of his recent career in the AHL.
Sources
This article was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the sources above. Company claims are reported as claims. Cover image is AI-generated.
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