Spokane native Tyler Johnson, Chiefs legend and two-time Stanley Cup champion, retires from NHL after 13 seasons
Johnson finished his career with 433 points (193 goals, 240 assists) in 747 regular-season games for the Lightning, Chicago Blackhawks and Boston Bruins. He also had 65 points (32 goals, 33 assists) in 116 Stanley Cup playoff games, helping the Lightning win back-to-back championships in 2020 and 2021.
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"Now, after a lifetime devoted to hockey, I'm ready for what's next," Johnson, who turns 35 on July 29, said in an Instagram post. "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."
Johnson, who was born in Liberty Lake and graduated from Central Valley High School, led the 2007-08 Spokane Chiefs to the Western Hockey League and Memorial Cup championships.
During that regular season with the Chiefs, Johnson scored 13 goals with 29 assists in 69 games and was instrumental in the playoffs — contributing five goals and three assists in 21 games — and was named the WHL playoffs MVP as a 17-year-old rookie.
Johnson scored 61 and 64 points the next two seasons, and exploded for 53 goals with 62 assists (115 points) in the 2010-11 campaign, making him the league leader in goals in second in points.
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In 2010, Johnson helped the U.S. win gold at the IIHF World Junior Championship.
"From ages 17 to 20, playing for my community, surrounded by friends and family, was an honor I'll cherish forever," Johnson said in his post. "Having my number retired beside Ray Whitney's in Spokane Arena still feels unreal.
"Thank you to Tim Speltz, Bobby Brett, coaches and my teammates — exceptional players and even better people — for those unforgettable years."
Despite his juniors success, Johnson went undrafted and signed with the Lightning as a free agent. He helped their farm team, the Norfolk Admirals, win the American Hockey League's Calder Cup championship that season, then the next season led the AHL in goals, earning the league's MVP trophy with the Syracuse Crunch.
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In his rookie NHL season with the Lightning in 2013 — 14, Johnson scored 24 goals with 26 assists, was a nominee for rookie of the year and was named to the league's all-rookie team. He was an NHL all-star in 2013 and finished the season with 28 goals and 43 assists for 72 points, all NHL career highs.
On Sept. 28, 2020, concluding a season abbreviated by the COVID pandemic, Johnson became the first Spokane area native to win the Stanley Cup after the Lightning defeated the Dallas Stars in six games. Johnson and the Lightning repeated as champions in 2021, defeating the Montreal Canadiens in five games.
Battling injuries later in his career, Johnson spent parts of three seasons with the Blackhawks, scoring 32 goals in 148 games, and finished his playing career after nine games with the Bruins during the 2024-25 season.
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