This afternoon, the Buffalo Sabres announced that the team had reached a one-year contract extension with goaltender, Jonas Johansson. The 25-year-old netminder will earn $700,000 next season.
After a strong showing with the Rochester Amerks last year, he’ll likely serve at the AHL level once again in 2020-21. Despite posting a .921 save-percentage in 22 games in the minor league, his call-up to Buffalo was less spectacular. In six contests with the blue-and-gold Johansson only managed a .894 save-percentage and a record of 1-3-0-1.
Depending on the team’s internal plan for prospect, Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen, the two could serve as rotational starters as the 20-year-old continues his development. Johansson has shown that he can perform at that level, and seems like a reliable presence, should Luukkonen struggle in his transition to full-time AHL duty.
What will be really interesting is what the Sabres decide to do with Carter Hutton. It’s no secret that Kevyn Adams is pursuing another NHL-capable netminder to replace him alongside Linus Ullmark. If Adams is successful in his search, the Sabres are may have to waive Hutton (assuming they cannot trade him, of course), leaving too many heads in Rochester.
Either way, the Amerks appear very well set between the pipes for the 2020-21 campaign.