Aaron Johnson Net Worth

What is Aaron Johnson's Net Worth?

Aaron Johnson is a Canadian former professional hockey player who has a net worth of $2 million.

Aaron Johnson played defense and appeared in the NHL for the Columbus Blue Jackets, New York Islanders, Chicago Blackhawks, Calgary Flames, Edmonton Oilers, and Boston Bruins. A left-shot defenseman known more for mobility, experience, and depth value than star-level scoring, Johnson carved out a long professional career that included 291 regular-season NHL games, extensive time in the American Hockey League, and later stops in Germany and the United Kingdom.

Aaron Johnson was originally selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the third round of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft. He began his professional career in the Columbus organization and later became a useful journeyman defenseman who moved between NHL and AHL roles for much of the 2000s and early 2010s. After leaving North America, he played for Adler Mannheim in Germany's Deutsche Eishockey Liga and the Sheffield Steelers in the British Elite Ice Hockey League. After his playing career, Johnson returned to the Blue Jackets organization in a team-relations role.

Early Life

Aaron Lindsay Johnson was born on April 30, 1983, in Port Hawkesbury, Nova Scotia, Canada. He grew up playing hockey in Nova Scotia before moving into the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League.

Johnson developed as an offensive defenseman in junior hockey. He played primarily for the Rimouski Océanic and also spent time with the Quebec Remparts. In 2000, he was part of Rimouski's Memorial Cup-winning team, which included future NHL star Brad Richards. Johnson later became one of the top-scoring defensemen in the QMJHL, producing 66 points during the 2001-02 season and finishing his junior career with 195 points in 252 regular-season games.

The Columbus Blue Jackets selected Johnson with the 85th overall pick in the third round of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft.

NHL Career

Johnson turned professional in the 2003-04 season and split his first year between the Syracuse Crunch of the AHL and the Columbus Blue Jackets. He made his NHL debut with Columbus on December 2, 2003, against the Anaheim Ducks and recorded his first NHL point two nights later against the Nashville Predators.

After the 2004-05 NHL lockout, Johnson continued developing between Syracuse and Columbus. He appeared in 26 games for the Blue Jackets during the 2005-06 season and then played a career-high 61 NHL games for Columbus in 2006-07, finishing with three goals, seven assists, and 10 points.

Johnson signed with the New York Islanders in 2007 and appeared in 30 games during the 2007-08 season. He then moved to the Chicago Blackhawks, where he played 38 games in 2008-09 and produced three goals and five assists. In 2009-10, he split the season between the Calgary Flames and Edmonton Oilers, giving him a rare Alberta double in the same campaign.

In 2011-12, Johnson returned to Columbus and had one of the best NHL seasons of his career, posting three goals and 13 assists for 16 points in 56 games. He later played 10 games for the Boston Bruins during the shortened 2012-13 season.

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AHL, Europe, and Later Career

While Johnson spent parts of many seasons in the NHL, he also had a substantial AHL career. He played for teams including the Syracuse Crunch, Bridgeport Sound Tigers, Rockford IceHogs, Milwaukee Admirals, Providence Bruins, Hartford Wolf Pack, Binghamton Senators, and Stockton Heat.

One of his strongest AHL seasons came in 2010-11 with Milwaukee, when he had nine goals and 26 assists for 35 points. He later had 40 points for Hartford in 2013-14 and 35 points for Binghamton in 2014-15.

Johnson moved overseas in 2016, joining Adler Mannheim in Germany. He played two seasons there before signing with the Sheffield Steelers of the British Elite Ice Hockey League in 2018. With Sheffield, he remained a productive veteran defenseman and also pursued business education, completing an MBA while playing in England.

After retiring, Johnson returned to the Columbus Blue Jackets organization, where he became involved in player support and team relations.

Contracts, Salaries & Career Earnings

Aaron Johnson earned a little over $4.2 million in tracked NHL salary during his professional career. That figure reflects his listed NHL contracts and does not necessarily capture every dollar earned from AHL salaries, European contracts, British league salary, playoff bonuses, appearance income, or post-playing hockey work.

His early NHL money came from the Columbus Blue Jackets, who drafted and developed him. In 2006, he signed a one-year, $450,000 contract with Columbus. In 2007, he signed a one-year, $475,000 deal with the New York Islanders.

Johnson signed with the Chicago Blackhawks in 2008 on a one-year, $525,000 contract, then re-signed with Chicago in 2009 on a one-year, $540,000 deal. He later signed one-year contracts worth $550,000 with the Nashville Predators and Columbus Blue Jackets, though his Nashville year was spent in the AHL with Milwaukee.

In 2012, Johnson signed a one-year, $650,000 contract with the Boston Bruins. In 2013, he signed a one-year, $600,000 contract with the New York Rangers organization and spent the season with Hartford. His largest listed NHL contract came in 2014, when he signed a one-year, two-way deal with the Ottawa Senators worth $800,000 at the NHL level.

Those salaries produced strong career earnings for a depth defenseman, but not the kind of fortune associated with long-term NHL stars. After taxes, agent fees, escrow, relocation costs, and years spent on two-way or minor-league deals, Johnson's estimated $2 million net worth is a more realistic reflection of a long, solid, well-traveled professional hockey career.

Personal Life and Post-Playing Work

Johnson has stayed connected to hockey after retiring as a player. His return to Columbus was fitting because the Blue Jackets were the team that drafted him, gave him his NHL debut, and provided the largest single-team NHL chapter of his career.

He has also been involved in charitable hockey work. In 2013, he partnered with the NHLPA Goals & Dreams fund to help donate hockey equipment to young players in his home region of Nova Scotia. That effort reflected the same path that carried him from Port Hawkesbury to junior hockey, the NHL, Europe, and eventually back into the Blue Jackets organization.

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