Former Detroit Red Wings forward Greg Johnson died Monday at his home in metro Detroit. He was 48.

The Chronicle Journal in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Johnson's hometown, first reported the news. No cause of death was provided.

Johnson was drafted in the second round, 33rd overall, by the Philadelphia Flyers in 1989, but he broke into the NHL with the Wings in 1993. During a phone conversation with team owner Mike Ilitch during training camp in 1993, then-general manager Bryan Murray was giving his boss an update on the team’s younger players.

“Greg Johnson,” Murray said, “is just a tiny bit better than Steve Yzerman.”

Murray was having fun with Ilitch, but Johnson came to the Wings after starring at the University of North Dakota, where the 5-foot-11, 200-pound center was the all-time leading scorer with 272 points in four years. He was the only three-time Hobey Baker Award finalist in school history. He was inducted into the UND Athletics Hall of Fame in 2013.

Johnson played 177 games for the Wings, producing 33 goals and 48 assists.

On January 27, 1997, the Wings sent Johnson to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for Tomas Sandstrom. Johnson spent three seasons with the Penguins before finishing his career with the Nashville Predators, serving as captain from 2002-06.

Johnson attempted a second stint with the Wings in 2006, but his tryout ended before training camp when a physical revealed a cardiac issue. Johnson was forced to retire. His brother, Ryan, was invited to try out for the Wings in 2011.

Johnson finished with 145 goals and 369 points in 785 games.

He is survived by a wife and two children.

Contact Helene St. James at hstjames@freepress.com. Follow her on Twitter @helenestjames. Read more on the Detroit Red Wings and sign up for our Red Wings newsletter.