Stefen Rosner Discusses Salary Cap Situation on Hockey Night in New York On Monday, the New York Islanders [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/news/ross-johnston-new-york-islanders-waivers-deadline-2] decided to place 29-year-old Ross Johnston [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/news/ross-johnston-new-york-islanders-waivers-deadline-2] on waivers. Since breaking into the NHL with New York in 2017-18, the Prince Edward's Island native quickly earned the respect of his teammates, as he played the enforcer role perfectly. Ahead of the 2021-22 season, the Islanders gave Johnston a four-year deal worth $4.4 million. At the time, veteran Matt Martin [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/features/matt-martin-camp-new-york-islanders-matt-martin-foundation-northwell-ice-center] was battling an ankle injury, and it appeared that Johnston could eventually take over for Martin on the Islanders' dominant fourth line. That did not come to fruition as Martin battled back from the ankle injury and has remained a staple on the Islanders' fourth line. Flash-forward a few years later, Martin is gearing up for his 15th NHL season after missing just one game in 2022-23 due to the birth of his second daughter while setting a new career-high in points (19). Since Johnston was awarded the contract extension, he's played in just 48 games. There were hints at the beginning of last season when the likes of Kieffer Bellows and Nikita Soshnikov got playing time over Johnston that being the go-to extra forward was no longer a reality for him. Then, during the season, veteran Hudson Fasching [https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/new-york-islanders/features/hudson-fasching-new-york-islanders-2022-23-zach-parise-extension] burst onto the scene, pushing Johnston farther down the depth chart. On top of re-signing Fasching to a two-year deal, the Islanders signed depth forwards Julien Gauthier (1-way), Karson Kuhlman (two-way), and Brian Pinho (two-way). Although Kuhlman and Pinho will start the season in Bridgeport, Gauthier earned a roster spot, making Johnston expendable. Before knowing whether Johnston would be placed on waivers, The Hockey News caught up with Johnston's close friend, Matt Martin, to get his thoughts on what Johnston brought to the locker room throughout the years. "Yeah, he's a very good friend of mine. I spend a lot of time with him on the road and at home," Martin told THN. "He's someone I'd grown very close to at the rink and away from the rink. "And an unfortunate part of this business is you always seem to lose your friends." Last season, the Islanders traded playoff hero Anthony Beauvillier to the Vancouver Canucks for Bo Horvat. The longest-tenured Islander, Josh Bailey, was traded to the Chicago Blackhawks this summer. A few years ago, the Seattle Kraken took Jordan Eberle in the 2021 Expansion Draft. The list goes on and on. "We lost Bails this summer. Unfortunately, no matter who it is, you're losing a friend," Martin said. "It's a shitty part of this business. But that's just the nature of the beast." Year in and year out, for better or worse, Islanders management has kept most of the group together. It's a tight-knit locker room, so moves like Monday affect the room. "This is the type of group that we have. A lot of these are lifelong friendships, and you remain close with guys, even myself, personally, when I went to Toronto," Martin said. "And I don't expect that to change." While Martin may not view himself as a mentor to Johnston, the two play similar positions and are both known to drop the gloves. Martin seemed to always be in his ear at practice, sharing his insight, and Johnston seemed to always have a smile on his face as he absorbed the information. It gave off big brother-little brother vibes. And it's a bond that won't be broken, regardless of Johnston's future with the organization. "I just think he's a quality hockey player, and he does his job when he comes in the lineup," Martin said. "And obviously, you'd like to play every night, but I think any competitor does. But when he was out of the lineup for long stretches, where that can get extremely frustrating -- I've lived that myself -- he was always positive with the team, positive with the guys, and came in with a businesslike attitude and a fun personality. "That's an attribute to be professional and to not let your emotions get the best of you. And he's always been remarkable with that." Just because Johnston was waived doesn't mean he won't be back up with the Islanders at some point in 2023-24 if he passes through unclaimed. Say what you want about Johnston's play on the ice, but seeing him cheer on his teammates from the press box during the postseason, always doing what he could on the sidelines and at practice to be the best teammate possible throughout the season, is why he remained on the Islanders roster for as long as he had. The expectation is that Johnston will report to Bridgeport if he goes unclaimed, and there's no question he will continue to be that model teammate and help guide the future Islanders prospects in the AHL as he awaits another NHL chance.
