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 |  The Detroit News

Former Wolverines defenseman Jack Johnson signed a professional tryout contract (PTO) with the Minnesota Wild.

Johnson, 38, skated in 41 games for the Columbus Blue Jackets last season, recording six assists.

The 6-foot-1, 227-pound blueliner has played in 1,228 games and posted 342 points, 639 penalty minutes and 1,839 blocked shots in 19 NHL seasons with the Los Angeles Kings, Columbus, Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers, Colorado Avalanche and Chicago Blackhawks.

A Stanley Cup champion with Colorado in 2022, Johnson has played in 57 career Stanley Cup playoff games, with 21 points, 30 PIM and 85 blocked shots.

He was originally selected by the Carolina Hurricanes in the first round (No. 3 overall) of the 2005 NHL Draft after two years with the University of Michigan. He had 26 goals, 45 assists and 71 points in 74 NCAA games.

Krygier joins NTDP coaching staff

Former NHLer Todd Krygier, who coached the Novi high school hockey team to a 2011 state championship, will join head coach Greg Moore behind the bench with the U.S. National Under-17 Team this season.

In 543 NHL games, Krygier scored 100 goals with 143 assists with the Hartford Whalers, Washington Capitals and Anaheim Mighty Ducks.

A former coach with the Detroit Compuware AAA hockey program, he was an assistant coach with the Grand Rapids Griffins (2019-2023), an assistant coach with Western Michigan (2016-2019) and head coach of the Muskegon Lumberjacks (2013-2016).

Porter leads U.S. in Hlinka Gretzky Cup

The U.S. Under-18 team lost 5-3 to Sweden in the second game of the 2025 Hlinka Gretzky Cup on Tuesday in Rencin, Slovakia.

“We need to find a way to close out games as a group,” U.S. coach Kevin Porter (Plymouth) said. “Sweden is a good team and we got into penalty trouble that cost us. Fortunately, we have another opportunity tomorrow in a win-or-go-home game.”

Team USA will face Germany on Wednesday in the final preliminary game (9:30 a.m., NHL Network).

Porter is a current assistant coach with Under-18 NTDP team. He previously spent four seasons as an assistant in the AHL, helping the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins to a pair of Calder Cup playoff appearances. 

Porter — who won the Hobey Baker Memorial Award in 2008 following his senior year at Michigan — played 12 seasons with four NHL and five AHL teams.

Evans signs extension with Kraken

Seattle Kraken defenseman Ryker Evans agreed Monday to a two-year contract extension, which carries a $2.05 million average annual value and runs through the 2026-27 season.

Evans, 23, recorded 25 points on five goals and 20 assists in 73 games during his first full season with the Kraken. Seattle’s second-round pick in the 2021 draft, Evans made his NHL debut Dec. 7, 2023.

“Ryker took a positive step forward in his first full season in the NHL,” general manager Jason Botterill (University of Michigan) said in a statement. “Since turning pro, he’s shown improvement year over year, and we’re confident he’ll take his game to another level next season. We’re happy to have him under contract.”

The 6-foot, 195-pound defenseman has 34 points in 109 NHL games. He made his international debut with Team Canada at this year’s world hockey championship, where he recorded two assists in eight games.

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