C Kent Johnson - Cleveland Monsters, AHL (2021, 5th, CBJ)

[57special]

I like him, too, and while the comparison to Mittlestadt stands, we have to remember that he was playing HS hockey when he was drafted, while Johnson was playing, and excelling, in the NCAA. That's a way higher level of competition.

 

[Kibe]

Seems quite similar to Teuvo Teräväinen at that age. Could end up a similar level player?

 

[57special]

That's not a bad comparison, though I can't remember a damn thing about TT pre draft. I would think that Johnson is considered more talented?

 

[Ed Ned and Leddy]

I think skating was probably more of an asset for Teuvo on draft day, but Johnson is bigger and should end up stronger imo.

In terms of production, the last couple seasons Teuvo has been around .9 points-per-game, which I'd say is firmly in the first line winger camp. If Johnson hits those numbers in his early/mid twenties then yeah I'd say that's certainly a good outcome.

 

[fancy dan]

reminds me of spezza.

 

[KovalSNIPE]

This kid is gonna be another Zegras I bet. So much skill but his flaws drop him lower than he should.

 

[UrbanImpact]

He says his favorite NHLer is Elias Pettersson and models his game after him.


I think Johnson is the most skilled forward in this draft by a landslide. His ceiling is high. If he puts it all together you can be looking at an all star top line forward. A hybrid of Kane/Pettersson

Having said that, I do have concerns about his pace of play and moving his feet. Similar to Robbie Schremp from way back when. Damn, i remember when Robby destroyed the OHL with 145 pts in 57 games.

 

[bsu]

This kid is gonna be another Zegras I bet. So much skill but his flaws drop him lower than he should.

Doesn't have 4 way agility skating like Zegras or move his feet as much. I'd still take a gamble on him though.

One of Zegras biggest strengths are his hips/mobility, he can move any direction skating with the puck I don't see that at all with Kent Johnson...

 

[Bubbles]

I'm hoping the Canucks will take him at #9. Another player that had questionable skating was taken at #9 too...Bo Horvat. Maybe employ Kathy McLlwain again, she did wonders for Bo.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I feel like his skating issues that people mention are not skating issues. They are pace of play issues. He plays E-W a lot. He also stops skating often. There are some bad skaters who look like they skate better than they do because they are max effort N-S players. It’s the opposite with Johnson. I don’t think he’s a bad skater. I like his edge work, and his acceleration is about average. If you get him to play a little differently, there won’t be questions about his skating because I don’t think the skating questions are skating questions.

 

[Hatter of the Beach]

Out of the players who realistically could drop to 6th for my Wings, I hope we pick either him or Hughes

 

[Love]

I love Johnson. He reminds me of a spitting image of Kyle Connor at the same stage of development. Very similar games. I think Johnson will end up eerily similar in the NHL.

Kyle Connor is one of the best goal scorers in the NHL. Kent Johnson will never be anywhere near that conversation.

 

[bsu]

If he pans out completely krejci

 

[Trojans86]

My dream scenario is for the ducks to trade some of our older players to get another top 10 and land this guy

 

[AmericanDream]

Would love to see this Wolverine slip to #11!!!!

 

[BKarchitect]

Would love to see this Wolverine slip to #11!!!!

Love the fit with Chicago who I think could take their time with Johnson and let him develop. Would be a great 1-2 punch with Dach to build around or a dynamic winger to help ease a post-Kane transition. I think the Blackhawks should shoot for upside here and this would be the ideal scenario.

I do wonder if the Wings look hard at him at #6. They could really use a dynamic center in the future and if they project Johnson as a center at the next level they can monitor him next door at UM. Just depends if they are wanting a project or a guy with a more polished game like Guenther or McTavish, if they do go with a forward.

 

[Bounces R Way]

He says his favorite NHLer is Elias Pettersson and models his game after him.


I think Johnson is the most skilled forward in this draft by a landslide. His ceiling is high. If he puts it all together you can be looking at an all star top line forward. A hybrid of Kane/Pettersson

Having said that, I do have concerns about his pace of play and moving his feet. Similar to Robbie Schremp from way back when. Damn, i remember when Robby destroyed the OHL with 145 pts in 57 games.

Schremp definitely had pace of play issues but I think the biggest reason he was a bust was that he refused to play in a 5 man unit. Not going to work in the NHL always going 1 v 5. Johnson has great edges but his problem seems to be straight line speed. Leads me to believe he probably won't be a C at the next level unless he can improve this dramatically.

 

[HOPE]

He says his favorite NHLer is Elias Pettersson and models his game after him.


I think Johnson is the most skilled forward in this draft by a landslide. His ceiling is high. If he puts it all together you can be looking at an all star top line forward. A hybrid of Kane/Pettersson

Having said that, I do have concerns about his pace of play and moving his feet. Similar to Robbie Schremp from way back when. Damn, i remember when Robby destroyed the OHL with 145 pts in 57 games.

i see the same thing, been comparing Kent to Kane since early season, so many similarities in their game. crazy part about Johnson is how little developped physically and still good at put protection. This kid is the most underated prospect in the draft.

 

[kings11]

Future LA King... he’s gonna look good on Byfield’s wing

 

[MarkusNaslund19]

To me it all comes down to what type of kid he is. Scouts who talk to the people around him will know that, us as fans cannot.

If he's a certain type of kid, it might be that the reason he does the overly creative, semi-selfish stuff is because he doesn't trust the capabilities of those around him as much as he trusts himself. Of course, Beniers was out there with him so...

Anyhow, if he's a determined, team first person who is intelligent and thoughtful, then that skill set can't be taught, and he should go high. If he's just the equivalent of an illusionist with no substance, then he'll be a low rent Mike Ribeiro.

Seems to me as well that if he gets a little more speed (which isn't likely, but sometimes an inefficient stride can be fixed a little bit) then he's even more dangerous. Anyhow, he sort of reminds me of a Nikolaj Ehlers without superlative speed, or like a Jeff Skinner (when he was scoring) with more of a playmaking bent.

 

[Samsquanch]

He says his favorite NHLer is Elias Pettersson and models his game after him.

I always get a kick out of this - and it happens often enough. Prospects say that they've "modeled" their game off of a still greenish NHL player who only has a handful (or less) of pro seasons themselves... And you cant help but wonder if they've even watched them play an entire game in reality, because watching hockey was the last thing most junior hockey players are doing with their spare time...

Like for the Sens, Tim Stutzle made the comment that he grew up watching Conor McDavid as a kid - but if the math isnt lying, he was about 12 or 13 when McDavid was a rookie NHLer...

Personally speaking, as a kid growing up and playing hockey I always tried to model my game off of Brendan Shanahan. And being 85' born (03' draft if I was actually good) I cant help but feel like it would have been strange to answer that question with someone like Hossa or Heatley - rather than a well established long time NHLer that I had actually "grown up" watching and attempted to model my game after...

 

[Number1RedWingsFan52]

Name me one older player in Anaheim that would get the Ducks a top 10 pick? There isn't one that's getting you a top 10 pick and Detroit probably takes him at 6th.

 

[Number1RedWingsFan52]

Would love to see this Wolverine slip to #11!!!!

Good luck with that, I'd be shocked to see Johnson fall to 11th. I can easily see him being a legit target by Yzerman.

 

[AMScouting]

Significant plays from five games of Johnson:

 

[Kcoyote3]

His skating needs a lot of work. His strength also. Hopefully those things can improve cause his stickhandling and passing are fantastic.