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

[vildurson]

He is starting to project as a great playaking winger(Kucherov and so on) for me rather than a bust in NHL. Still same strengths as in his draft year(magic hands) but he has learned some stuff which works and which does not.

When you are a guy who wants to try million things in different ways and if you have enough smarts, eventually you will figure out what works. Same process is probably gonna happen in NHL where he has to try bunch of stuff with his hands and see what works and go with it. Johnson has toolkit to make it, it is just how fast he can learn to fit his game in NHL.

Still super interesting prospect to see in NHL.

 

[BB88]

I'd agree with this assesment, lots of sloppy plays

You’d have to think this being in the middle of the offseason plays a part in it.

Finland has looked sloppy as a team in these games

 

[stevo61]

You’d have to think this being in the middle of the offseason plays a part in it.

Finland has looked sloppy as a team in these games

He got better as the game went on but its fair to critique his start to this tournament. This should be the McTavish and Johnson show and up to that goal only 1 of the 2 stepped up. That said if he has a big game against Finland/USA noone will care what he did against Latvia or Slovakia

 

[BB88]

He got better as the game went on but its fair to critique his start to this tournament. This should be the McTavish and Johnson show and up to that goal only 1 of the 2 stepped up. That said if he has a big game against Finland/USA noone will care what he did against Latvia or Slovakia

Sure they can be critized.

But overall I think the quality in this tourney won’t be as good as it would be in december.

These guys haven’t played real hockey for months now& are in the middle of offseason training

 

[majormajor]

His play at the WJC seems to be very up and down from what I've seen. Sick goal aside, I heard he was pretty brutal in that period prior to the goal.

I heard that but I don't agree. KJ was coming on in that period and could have had 3 or 4 points already if Suchanek wasn't robbing him and his linemates. What made the lacrosse goal feel special to me was that it was the dam finally breaking.

 

[Cowumbus]

I heard that but I don't agree. KJ was coming on in that period and could have had 3 or 4 points already if Suchanek wasn't robbing him and his linemates. What made the lacrosse goal feel special to me was that it was the dam finally breaking.

Hopefully

 

[MichaelFarrell]

I think Johnson will play in the AHL to start the year. I’m really curious to see his first pro season.

 

[Herby]

winger, winger, winger. Been saying it for awhile. It will be interesting to see if Columbus still is going to try and force him into a center role, I think it could really hurt his ceiling.

 

[Peasy]

They have Sillinger so might be less likely to try and force him down the middle.

 

[Realgud]

Personally, I disagree with some of the takes here. He's playing really well and creates a lot of opportunities but the points just haven't been there so it looks worse. He's ridiculously skilled, sometimes even too much. He fumbles the puck a little too much because of what he tries to do. But man, personally I'd definitely try to make him a center, his defensive game is underrated and his intelligence on the ice isn't talked nearly enough. But if he were to end up on the wing, I don't see that as a problem as his forechecking is surprisingly good, and his work along the boards is so damn impressive for having quite a lanky frame. He's surprisingly gritty when he wants to be. He could use more speed in his skating and maybe be generally more consistent in his effort but when he's on he has some of the more dominant shifts you'll see. I wouldn't worry about Kent Johnson at all if I was a jackets fan, I'd be damn excited for what he could do at the nhl level and I think he could play any forward position.

 

[cg98]

He needs at least a season in the AHL in Cleveland. The talent is there, he just needs to clean up some of the issues and get stronger for pro hockey.

 

[Leviathan899]

Personally, I disagree with some of the takes here. He's playing really well and creates a lot of opportunities but the points just haven't been there so it looks worse. He's ridiculously skilled, sometimes even too much. He fumbles the puck a little too much because of what he tries to do. But man, personally I'd definitely try to make him a center, his defensive game is underrated and his intelligence on the ice isn't talked nearly enough. But if he were to end up on the wing, I don't see that as a problem as his forechecking is surprisingly good, and his work along the boards is so damn impressive for having quite a lanky frame. He's surprisingly gritty when he wants to be. He could use more speed in his skating and maybe be generally more consistent in his effort but when he's on he has some of the more dominant shifts you'll see. I wouldn't worry about Kent Johnson at all if I was a jackets fan, I'd be damn excited for what he could do at the nhl level and I think he could play any forward position.

Agreed, after watching every Canadian game, he’s easily the 2nd best player on this team this year, he controls the play when he’s on the ice. He reads and anticipates plays so well and breaks up alot of plays, forces turnovers up ice. Great passer and vision, can thread the needle but he’s poised and able to protect the puck despite a lankier frame right now. He’s not filled out at all yet. When I watch him I feel he’s just in another class of player skill wise than everyone on the ice, in every he’s played this tourney. Points haven’t always been there but he creates a ton and is highly creative.

 

[Lavar Ball]

Agreed, after watching every Canadian game, he’s easily the 2nd best player on this team this year, he controls the play when he’s on the ice. He reads and anticipates plays so well and breaks up alot of plays, forces turnovers up ice. Great passer and vision, can thread the needle but he’s poised and able to protect the puck despite a lankier frame right now. He’s not filled out at all yet. When I watch him I feel he’s just in another class of player skill wise than everyone on the ice, in every he’s played this tourney. Points haven’t always been there but he creates a ton and is highly creative.

Behind McTavish or Bedard? I assume McTavish

 

[NA Hockey]

Behind McTavish or Bedard? I assume McTavish

The top 3 forwards for TC have been McT, Greig and Johnson with Stankoven 4th over the course of the entire tournament. Bedard has had a few exceptional moments but overall has not been as good as any of those 4 IMO overall.

 

[Leviathan899]

Behind McTavish or Bedard? I assume McTavish

Mctavish. Bedard is likely the best prospect long term on this team but I think Mctavish and Johnson are the best two currently. Johnson is one helluva a facilitator out there

 

[DuckDuckGetz]

I'm getting some heat from what I presume to be Jackets fans for saying that Kent's vision isn't as high as Zegras'.

Am I way off on this? Granted it's not really a quantifiable thing, but just curious. It seems like he has Zegras' talent but his sloppiness and misplays are a result of said lower vision.

 

[Waterbuf]

I'm getting some heat from what I presume to be Jackets fans for saying that Kent's vision isn't as high as Zegras'.

Am I way off on this? Granted it's not really a quantifiable thing, but just curious. It seems like he has Zegras' talent but his sloppiness and misplays are a result of said lower vision.

Yeah man its a compelling discussion

 

[teravaineSAROS]

I'm getting some heat from what I presume to be Jackets fans for saying that Kent's vision isn't as high as Zegras'.

Am I way off on this? Granted it's not really a quantifiable thing, but just curious. It seems like he has Zegras' talent but his sloppiness and misplays are a result of said lower vision.

Yea, I'm not sold on his hockey sense. He has creativity but he's also been inefficient at times.

It's hard to predict how good his career will be. At times he reminds me of Drouin in a bad way, other times he reminds me of Zegras.

 

[majormajor]

Yea, I'm not sold on his hockey sense. He has creativity but he's also been inefficient at times.

Funny enough those are the moments where I'm reminded more of Zegras' game.

Actually both.

Makes a great creative play - reminds me of Zegras.

Makes a less efficient play being overly fancy - reminds me of Zegras.

 

[DuckDuckGetz]

Yeah man its a compelling discussion

Yea, I'm not sold on his hockey sense. He has creativity but he's also been inefficient at times.

It's hard to predict how good his career will be. At times he reminds me of Drouin in a bad way, other times he reminds me of Zegras.

Okay, glad to hear that I'm not completely crazy. I know we get defensive about our prospects. I'll be curious to see Kent's first season, assuming he's expected to make the team this year.

 

[majormajor]

I'm getting some heat from what I presume to be Jackets fans for saying that Kent's vision isn't as high as Zegras'.

Am I way off on this? Granted it's not really a quantifiable thing, but just curious. It seems like he has Zegras' talent but his sloppiness and misplays are a result of said lower vision.

We see Zegras try things that don't work all the time, overly ambitious passes, etc... I don't see a big difference in that regard. Where I see an advantage for Zegras is that he has a better athletic build that lets him play a more fluid game and avoid trouble that way. He's not strong but he's stronger than KJ.

 

[tunnelvision]

Am I way off on this? Granted it's not really a quantifiable thing, but just curious. It seems like he has Zegras' talent but his sloppiness and misplays are a result of said lower vision.

I tend to think it's the other way around. KJ's puck plays that display or indicate "lower vision" might be partially a result of misplays and sloppiness caused by inferior athleticism. Zegras's skating and stickhandling seem to be little bit sharper which allows him to receive and make passes quicker. A technically more advanced player will always have more potential passing lanes and therefore more opportunities to make his vision look better.

I'm not going to argue that KJ's vision is equal or worse than Zegras, it's too early to tell, at least for me.

 

[stevo61]

Id even say they project to be the same size at the NHL level. Johnson is what? Roughly a year and a half younger and in that time I would hope to see 10-15 pounds of mass added to put him right around that 185lbs Zegras is listed at.

 

[majormajor]

Id even say they project to be the same size at the NHL level. Johnson is what? Roughly a year and a half younger and in that time I would hope to see 10-15 pounds of mass added to put him right around that 185lbs Zegras is listed at.

You gym rats! I think it might take 5 years for him to get that big.

 

[stevo61]

You gym rats! I think it might take 5 years for him to get that big.

I dont expect him to gain a ton of muscle off the hop and thats why I wrote it as mass. Hes obviously a pretty lean guy so adding some fat wouldnt be the negative it would likely be perceived as.