Defenseman Jack Johnson underwent surgery Friday to repair a core muscle, the Rangers said. He is finished for the season.
A free agent import who signed a one-year, $1.15 million deal with the Rangers to provide veteran depth on the back line, Johnson finished the season with 13 games played, one goal, eight penalty minutes with a minus-5 rating. He played the first four games of the season, was scratched for a game, came back in for a game, and then sat out the next eight games with a groin injury.
But injuries to K’Andre Miller and Jacob Trouba, and later Anthony Bitetto, forced Johnson to step back in the lineup, and play games even though he was never fully healthy himself.