The club will be loaded with talented vets and younger players, but who will step up and take the next step?
Even with all the injuries and setbacks the 2022-23 edition of the Columbus Blue Jackets had, there were still a few bright spots, and despite everything that happened last season, Kent Johnson managed to remain healthy and play in 79 games. Could he be the Jacket's secret weapon this season?
Johnson played in 79 games last season, and looking back on that today, seems like an award-winning feat. He scored 16 goals and had 40 points, chipping in 12 power-play points. He played on the wing mostly but did play some center as well. His faceoff % was only 29.5%, so if he wants to play center in the future, that number will need to rise significantly.
This season Johnson is looking to take another big step forward, and he could be new head coach Mike Babcock’s secret weapon. He will most likely be playing with Adam Fantilli, Kirill Marchenko, Patrik Laine, Johnny Gaudreau, or Boone Jenner, all of which are going to be expected to do big things if the CBJ wants to be successful this coming season. But if the Jackets are going to take the next step, Johnson must avoid having the “sophomore slump”. Can he have a breakout season playing with scorers like Marchenko, or even Fantilli? The 50-point plateau is what everyone wants to see him at, and if he can hit 50, what does that mean for the team’s success?
The good news for the CBJ is that if Johnson does happen to struggle, he can be swapped for wingers such as Alexandre Texier or Yegor Chinakhov. So, the Jackets have options, but it would be much easier if Johnson comes in and plays well like he did last season.
Johnson is entering the final year of his ELC and his contract situation will need some attention soon. Many fans on social media want him locked up for seven years, but if we know GM Jarmo Kekalainen, Johnson will get a 3- or 4-year bridge, as he probably should.
If I’m making a prediction for Johnson in terms of production, my guess is he scores around 20 goals and has a total of 45 points, a five-point rise from next season. Not necessarily a slump, but if he spends the bulk of his time playing with Marchenko, who should score a lot, Johnson will probably assist on many of those. If Fantilli is his center, I see the same scenario. We don’t know what Fantilli will do in his first season, but my guess is that he won’t score as much as he will be the play-making assist machine.
A simple 5-goal increase could be what causes that second line to pop off. We could see 70 goals out of that second line this season, and if Kent Johnson can toss in 20 of those, he could be headed for a big payday in the off-season.
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