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Former Lightning Forward Announces Retirement

A two-time Stanley Cup champion with the Tampa Bay Lightning calls it a career.

Jon Alfano

Jul 7, 2021; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning center Tyler Johnson (9) warms up before game five of the 2021 Stanley Cup Final against the Montreal Canadiens at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-Imagn Images
Jul 7, 2021; Tampa, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Lightning center Tyler Johnson (9) warms up before game five of the 2021 Stanley Cup Final against the Montreal Canadiens at Amalie Arena. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-Imagn Images / Kim Klement-Imagn Images
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Longtime Tampa Bay Lightning forward Tyler Johnson is retiring after 13 NHL seasons, he announced on Instagram Monday.

Johnson, 34, joined the Lightning as an undrafted free agent in March of 2011, and he would soon emerge as a star in Tampa Bay. The Spokane, Washington, native scored 161 goals and 361 points over his 589 games with the franchise. He is best known for his performance during the Lightning's run to the 2015 Stanley Cup Final, when he led all players with 13 goals and 23 points in 26 games while centering the "Triplets" line with Ondrej Palat and Nikita Kucherov.

While Johnson and the Lightning came up short that year, they would later go on to win back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2020 and 2021.

"I'll never forget the call that changed my life," Johnson said in his retirement post. "While playing in Prince George, British Columbia, my agent, Mark MacKay, told me to keep my phone close. When it rang, it was Steve Yzerman from the Tampa Bay Lightning. I'd never set foot in Florida and knew nothing about Tampa, but a gut feeling said it was my path. That instinct led me home."

"In the Lightning organization, I found my place. From earning the Calder Cup with the Norfolk Admirals in the AHL to my NHL callup, those years were the best of my life. My teammates became brothers, and ... together we won back-to-back Stanley Cups, carving our names into history with our coaches and staff. Tampa will forever hold my heart."

Later on, Johnson played for both the Chicago Blackhawks (2021-24) and Boston Bruins (2024). He finishes his career with 193 goals and 433 points in 747 regular season games, as well as 32 goals and 65 points in 116 playoff games.

"Now, after a lifetime devoted to hockey, I'm ready for what's next,” Johnson said. “I'm thrilled to focus on starting a family and exploring new paths. This moment is bittersweet, but I leave the game with no regrets, only gratitude for the rinks, the teammates, the fans, and a sport that will always ignite my soul."

"Thank you all for being part of my journey."

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Jon Alfano
JON ALFANO

Jon is a lead writer for Baltimore Ravens On SI and contributes to other sites around the network as well. The Tampa native previously worked with sites such as ClutchPoints and GiveMeSport and earned his journalism degree at the University of Central Florida.

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