Kent Johnson is set to have a breakout year
There are 91 days left until the season opener, so who better to talk about than Kent Johnson.
Kent Johnson was drafted 5th overall in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. A lot of Jackets fans were hoping the CBJ front office would be able to grab Mason McTavish or William Eklund, but McTavish was taken 3rd by Anaheim. When the 5th pick came around, the CBJ announced the name of center Kent Johnson from the University of Michigan. The crowd inside Nationwide Arena went wild.
The 6-foot-1 center from Port Moody, British Columbia was a Blue Jacket. Fans quickly realized that Johnson was good after watching some highlights. Some thought he was a reach at #5, but others think it was just right.
His sophomore season at Michigan he put up some good numbers. He scored 8 goals and had 37 points. He also played for Canada in the World Championships. In 10 games he had 7 points. Johnson makes hockey look effortless sometimes.
Johnson has a wicked shotIn 2022, after he finished that sophomore season at UM, he turned pro and immediately joined the Blue Jackets. He played in nine games and had three assists. Getting his feet wet in the NHL and preparing for the 2022-23 season.
In the 22-23 season, Johnson mainly played wing but got to play some center as well. Due to all the injuries the CBJ had, Johnson was moved up and down the line-up and seemed to transition well. He played 79 games last season, which was second on the team in games played. His rookie season, he scored 16 goals and had 40 points. Johnson chipped in with five power play goals and seven power play assists. Even though he finished 5th in rookie scoring, Johnson managed to get no votes. While his teammate Kirill Marchenko did get one 3rd place vote.
Johnson and Kirill Marchenko celebrating a goalNext season fans are looking for Kent Johnson to have a monster year. Many projected line combinations have him playing with either Patrik Laine and Adam Fantilli, or Adam Fantilli and Kirill Marchenko. With Fantilli’s play making ability, Johnson could get a lot of points next season. Some say he reminds them of Johnny Gaudreau, with his quickness, agility, and puck handling, not to mention his passing skills and looking to set up his teammates.
Kent Johnson is a fun player to watch, and next season he could light up the score sheet. Stay tuned.