Ryan Johnson
| Position | Left Defense | Current Team | Buffalo Sabres |
| Shoots | Left | Current Contract | 3 years |
| Height | 6'1" | Expires | 2027-28 |
| Weight (lbs) | 195 | Expiry Age (Jun 30) | 26 |
| Age | 24 (July 24, 2001) | Expiry Status | RFA-arb |
| Drafted | 2019, Round 1, Overall 31 (BUF) |
| Date | Team | Transaction | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 16, 2025 | Buffalo Sabres | Assigned to AHL | |
| Jul 1, 2025 | Buffalo Sabres | Signed 3 years @ $775K AAV starting in 2025-26 | |
| Dec 15, 2024 | Buffalo Sabres | Assigned to AHL | |
| Dec 5, 2024 | Buffalo Sabres | Recalled from AHL | |
| Oct 4, 2024 | Buffalo Sabres | Assigned to AHL | |
| May 27, 2023 | Buffalo Sabres | Signed to an entry level contract. |
2023-24 Player Card
URL: https://www.thestanleycap.com/cdn/player_cards/20232024/ryan-johnson-8481564.png
About Player Cards
Player cards present an infographic of a players performance. In this case it shows the player performance over a 3 season span. Each square is separated into three separate sub-boxes with the two smaller boxes on top representing the past two seasons and the larger box on the bottom representing the current or most recent season. This allows the reader to guage how consistent a player has been, and if early in the season it can help identify whether a players performance may be impacted by small sample size and subject to regression or is consistent with recent past performance.
Notes and Definitions
- The numbers represent percentiles so the higher the better.
- Percentiles are determined by comparing Forwards to Forwards and Defensemen to Defensemen.
- Bursts/mi are calculated from NHL Edge Data are are speed bursts above 20mpg per mile skated. The NHL doesn't adjust for ice time so the players that skate more will naturally have more bursts over 20, or at least more opportunity to have more. The NHL also does not provide ice time in the context of NHL Edge Statistics, however, it does provide distance skated. By adjusting for distance skated it will have a similar effect to adjusting for ice time but also adjust for situationional effect. For example, Players don't typically skate as much on the PK, mostly within the defensive zone, so don't get significant opportunity in that ice time to get speed bursts above 20mph. Adjusting with miles skates would account for this better than adjusting with ice time.
- Sh%AE is Shooting Percentage above Expected (Sh% - xSh%) and is an indicator of how good a shooter is at converting chances into goals.
- Relative statistics are On Ice - Off Ice statistics and can be an indicator of whether the player makes his teammates better or worse.
- All data is 5v5 except Shooting Hardest and Average, Skating Top Speed and Bursts/mi which are all situations, ES Average which is even strength (NHL doesn't give a specific definition).
Data Sources
- Salary data is from TheStanleyCap.com
- Shooting and Skating (except Sh%AE) are from NHL Edge
- Other statistics are from Puckalytics.com and derived from data from NHL.com
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5v5 Individual Stats
| Season | Team(s) | GP | TOI | G/60 | A/60 | Pts/60 | xG/60 | GAE/60 | Sh% | xSh% | Sh%AE | %SA Rush | %SA Reb. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | BUF | 41 | 545:57 | 0.00 | 0.77 | 0.77 | 0.17 | -0.17 | 0.00 | 4.53 | -4.53 | 5.56 | 3.70 |
| 2024-25 | BUF | 3 | 50:53 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.46 | -0.46 | 0.00 | 12.89 | -12.89 | 0.00 | 12.50 |
| 2025-26 | BUF | 3 | 26:07 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.00 | 0.09 | -0.09 | - | - | - | 0.00 | 0.00 |
5v5 On Ice Stats
| Season | Team(s) | GP | TOI | SAF/60 | GF/60 | xGF/60 | SAA/60 | GA/60 | xGA/60 | GF% | xGF% | xGF Rel | xGA Rel | xGF% Rel |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | BUF | 41 | 545:57 | 42.97 | 2.42 | 2.48 | 39.45 | 1.87 | 2.15 | 56.41 | 53.50 | -0.10 | -0.24 | 1.69 |
| 2024-25 | BUF | 3 | 50:53 | 42.45 | 0.00 | 2.51 | 44.81 | 3.54 | 3.30 | 0.00 | 43.22 | -0.17 | 0.72 | -7.71 |
| 2025-26 | BUF | 3 | 26:07 | 41.35 | 2.30 | 3.24 | 52.84 | 2.30 | 2.64 | 50.00 | 55.13 | 1.40 | 0.09 | 13.19 |
NHL Edge Stats
| Skating | Shooting | Zone Time | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | GP | Top Speed | Bursts>20/mi | Avg. Speed | ES Avg. Speed | Top Speed | Avg. Speed | %Long Range | %Mid Range | %High Danger | ES DZ% | ES NZ% | ES OZ% |
| This table is for Basic and Premium subscribers only. To view please login to and/or subscribe to one of our subscription plans. | |||||||||||||
Legend
| Percentile 0-25 | Percentile 25-50 | Percentile 50-75 | Percentile 75-100 |
5v5 Defense Pairs
| Season | Teammate | Team | TOI | GF/60 | GA/60 | GF% | xGF/60 | xGA/60 | xGF% | xGF Rel | xGA Rel | xGF% Rel |
|---|
Glossary
| Type | Statistic | Definition |
|---|---|---|
| Individual | G/60 | Goals Against per 60 minutes. |
| Individual | A/60 | Assists per 60 minutes. |
| Individual | Pts/60 | Points per 60 minutes. |
| Individual | xG/60 | Expected Goals per 60 minutes. |
| Individual | GAE/60 | Goals Above Expected (G/60 - xG/60). |
| Individual | Sh% | Shooting Percentage. |
| Individual | xSh% | Expected Shooting Percentage. |
| Individual | Sh%AE | Shooting percentage above expected (Sh% - xSh%). |
| Individual | %SA Rush | Percentage of shot attempts determined to be on the rush. |
| Individual | %SA Reb. | Percentage of shot attempts determined to be from rebounds. |
| On Ice | SAF/60 | Shot Attempts For per 60 minutes. |
| On Ice | GF/60 | Goals For per 60 minutes. |
| On Ice | xGF/60 | Expected Goals For per 60 minutes. |
| On Ice | SAA/60 | Shot Attempts Against per 60 minutes (lower is better). |
| On Ice | GA/60 | Goals Against per 60 minutes (lower is better). |
| On Ice | xGA/60 | Expected Goals Against per 60 minutes (lower is better). |
| On Ice | GF% | Goals For Percentage = Goals For / (Goals For + Goals Against) |
| On Ice | xGF% | Expected Goals For Percentage = Expected Goals For / (Expected Goals For + Expected Goals Against) |
| On Ice | xGF Rel | xGF/60 when On Ice - xGF/60 when not On Ice. |
| On Ice | xGA Rel | xGA/60 when On Ice - xGA/60 when not On Ice (lower is better). |
| On Ice | xGF% Rel | xGF% when On Ice - xGF% when not On Ice. |
News and Opinions
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3 players who could replace Jacob Bryson in the lineup for the Buffalo Sabres at Sabres Noise (Sun Oct 19, 2025)
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4 must-watch players as the Buffalo Sabres look to steal a win over the Panthers at Sabres Noise (Sat Oct 18, 2025)
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Zach Metsa realizes unlikely NHL dream with recall to Sabres: ‘I was shocked’ at Buffalo Hockey Beat (Fri Oct 17, 2025)
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Metsa Called Up, Buffalo Scouting Chinakhov at Yahoo Sports NHL (Fri Oct 17, 2025)
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Sabres recall Zach Metsa from Amerks, assign defenseman to Rochester at Buffalo Hockey Beat (Thu Oct 16, 2025)
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The Next Big Thing? Josh Doan is already turning heads for the Buffalo Sabres at Sabres Noise (Thu Oct 16, 2025)
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Projected Lineups for Avalanche vs Sabres – 10/13/25 at The Hockey Writers (Mon Oct 13, 2025)
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Bold line predictions the Buffalo Sabres must make before game against Avalanche at Sabres Noise (Sun Oct 12, 2025)
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4 Buffalo Sabres with a great opportunity in the season opener against Rangers at Sabres Noise (Thu Oct 9, 2025)
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Canucks Organization Signs Former NCAA Forward & BC Native to One-Year Contract at Canucks Daily (Tue Oct 7, 2025)
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Ranking all 48 Buffalo Sabres players based on 2025-26 NHL trade value at Sabres Noise (Tue Oct 7, 2025)
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Sabres Dealing With Key Injuries Heading Into Season, Claim Ellis Off Waivers at The Hockey Writers (Tue Oct 7, 2025)
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Buffalo Sabres' confusing defensive shuffle raises questions ahead of season opener at Sabres Noise (Tue Oct 7, 2025)
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5 Buffalo Sabres with huge opportunities entering the final preseason game at Sabres Noise (Fri Oct 3, 2025)
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Sabres News & Rumors: Preseason Battles, Roster Questions & Injury Report at The Hockey Writers (Thu Oct 2, 2025)
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Blueline depth for Buffalo Sabres already being tested heading into regular season at Sabres Noise (Thu Oct 2, 2025)
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After season in minors, Ryan Johnson making case for roster spot with Sabres at Sabres Space (Thu Oct 2, 2025)
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After season in minors, Ryan Johnson making case for roster spot with Sabres at Buffalo Hockey Beat (Thu Oct 2, 2025)
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Sabres defenseman Ryan Johnson hits books with shot at making 23-player roster at Sabres Space (Wed Oct 1, 2025)
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4 must-see Buffalo Sabres that fans will want to focus on in final preseason games at Sabres Noise (Tue Sep 30, 2025)
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Is it Radim Mrtka time? Sabres door opens after Bowen Byram injury at Sabres Noise (Mon Sep 29, 2025)
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Sabres' Massive Regret: Not buying out this player when they had the chance at Sabres Noise (Sun Sep 28, 2025)
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4 Buffalo Sabres who could steal a roster spot before Opening Night at Sabres Noise (Sun Sep 28, 2025)
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Red Wings-Sabres preseason game #2 Tweetcap: Buffalo’s ‘A Team’ outworks Detroit’s ‘B+ Team’ at The Malik Report (Sat Sep 27, 2025)
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3 Buffalo Sabres defense options after the Mattias Samuelsson injury at Sabres Noise (Fri Sep 26, 2025)
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New Turn of Events Puts Vancouver Canucks Front Office on the Hot Seat at Canucks Daily (Sun Sep 14, 2025)
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Vancouver Canucks Executive Set to Depart the Organization for Once-in-a-Lifetime GM Promotion at Canucks Daily (Sat Sep 13, 2025)
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Buffalo Sabres Top 25 Under 25: #11 Ryan Johnson at Die by the Blade (Mon Sep 1, 2025)
Current Contract
Standard Contract (RFA) ( ) (0 ratings)
Entry Level Contract ( ) (0 ratings)
| Season | Age* | Clause | Cap Hit | AAV | Perf. Bonus | Sign. Bonus | Salary | Compensation | Minors Salary | Status | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023-24 | 22 | $925,000 | $925,000 | - | $92,500 | $832,500 | $925,000 | $70,000 | ELC | ||
| 2024-25 | 23 | $925,000 | $925,000 | - | $92,500 | $832,500 | $925,000 | $70,000 | ELC | ||
| Total | - | $185,000 | $1,665,000 | $1,850,000 | $140,000 |
Career Statistics
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | League | Team | GP | G | A | Pts | +/- | PIM | Shots | Sh% | TOI/G | GP | G | A | Pts | +/- | PIM | Shots | Sh% | TOI/G |
| 2013-14 | QC Int PW | Anaheim Jr. Ducks | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | |||||||||||||
| 2013-14 | QC Int PW AAA | Anaheim Jr. Ducks | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||
| 2015-16 | 14U AAA | Anaheim Jr. Ducks 14U AAA | 52 | 6 | 35 | 41 | 50 | |||||||||||||
| 2015-16 | T1EHL 14U | Anaheim Jr. Ducks 14U AAA | 10 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 4 | 1 | 1 | ||||||||||
| 2016-17 | USHS-CA | Santa Margarita Catholic 2 | 8 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | |||||||||||||
| 2016-17 | USHS-CA | Santa Margarita Catholic | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | ||||||||||||||
| 2016-17 | USA-S15 | Team Kelly | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||||||||||||||
| 2016-17 | T1EHL 16U | Anaheim Jr. Ducks 16U AAA | 32 | 3 | 21 | 24 | 10 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | |||||||||
| 2017-18 | T1EHL 16U | Anaheim Jr. Ducks 16U AAA | 35 | 12 | 33 | 45 | 36 | |||||||||||||
| 2017-18 | USA-S16 | Team White | 5 | 2 | 4 | 6 | ||||||||||||||
| 2018-19 | WJAC-19 | USA U19 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | |||||||||||||
| 2018-19 | USHL | Sioux Falls Stampede | 54 | 6 | 19 | 25 | +24 | 26 | 12 | 2 | 6 | 8 | +6 | 4 | ||||||
| 2019-20 | NCAA | Univ. of Minnesota | 37 | 0 | 8 | 8 | -9 | 20 | ||||||||||||
| 2020-21 | NCAA | Univ. of Minnesota | 27 | 2 | 12 | 14 | +15 | 12 | ||||||||||||
| 2020-21 | WJC-20 | USA U20 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 4 | +5 | 6 | ||||||||||||
| 2021-22 | NCAA | Univ. of Minnesota | 39 | 3 | 16 | 19 | +5 | 14 | ||||||||||||
| 2022-23 | NCAA | Univ. of Minnesota | 40 | 4 | 14 | 18 | +22 | 8 | ||||||||||||
| 2023-24 | NHL | Buffalo Sabres | 41 | 0 | 7 | 7 | +3 | 12 | 35 | 0.0 | 13:52 | |||||||||
| 2023-24 | AHL | Rochester Americans | 27 | 0 | 9 | 9 | +5 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 1 | -5 | 2 | |||||||
| 2024-25 | NHL | Buffalo Sabres | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2 | 4 | 3 | 0.0 | 17:40 | |||||||||
| 2024-25 | AHL | Rochester Americans | 66 | 2 | 11 | 13 | +13 | 38 | 8 | 1 | 1 | -1 | 8 | |||||||
| 2025-26 | AHL | Rochester Americans | 4 | 0 | 3 | 3 | +1 | 8 | ||||||||||||
| 2025-26 | NHL | Buffalo Sabres | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0.0 | 9:00 | |||||||||||
| NHL Career | 47 | 0 | 7 | 7 | +1 | 18 | 38 | 0.0 | 13:48 | |||||||||||