Player Discussion: Kent Johnson - Winger or Center?

[MoeBartoli]

Since there’s been a lot of discussion on Kent Johnson and the team’s need for centers, I thought it was a good time for a poll. If your unsure of how other players - current or future - impact his placement (1 or 2), select what you consider his top end ceiling.

 

[CBJx614]

I said 2C.

I think if we pick in the top 3, Bedard/Fantilli/Carlson end up as the 1C and KJ ends up as the 2C.


Which puts us in an amazing spot moving forward if both centers can hit their potentials. KJ already basically plays center on the ice without actually taking the faceoffs. If he puts on some more muscle without losing his agility and gains a little more experience in the dot I don't see any reason why he can't play center. At this point he just needs reps, reps, reps and more reps.

 

[WannabeFinn]

Top 6 forward. Too early to say otherwise imo.

 

[CBJx614]

Top 6 forward. Too early to say otherwise imo.

I don't think it's necessarily true to say it's too early. He's shown all the traits of a good center. His vision is world class, his feet are always moving, he back checks deep into the zone and knows how to run an offense once they get into the zone. He just needs the reps to go through and make mistakes that he can learn from as well as going through it and running an successful offense to gain some confidence from.

 

[BB88]

He looks like potential 1C but hopefully will settle in at 2C role in Columbus(draft)

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Really hard to tell now with a new coach coming in. If Larsen was the coach I would say 2C but with a new guy coming I would probably say 2W.

 

[CBJx614]

Really hard to tell now with a new coach coming in. If Larsen was the coach I would say 2C but with a new guy coming I would probably say 2W.

If we get Bedard and the Laine change is real, I would agree about the 2C. He's not going to be a 3C and neither will Laine(or whoever we get) all of those guys need to be in the top 6

 

[I3LI3]

Really hard to tell now with a new coach coming in. If Larsen was the coach I would say 2C but with a new guy coming I would probably say 2W.

that’s exactly what I’m going with. 2W is what I see with new personnel coming in and such. ideally, I want kent to be a long term winger, not center.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

If we get Bedard and the Laine change is real, I would agree about the 2C. He's not going to be a 3C and neither will Laine(or whoever we get) all of those guys need to be in the top 6

I’m honestly not sure Laine will be here. I think he will, but I think jarmo might throw a grenade at the room to give it a jolt.

 

[CBJx614]

I’m honestly not sure Laine will be here. I think he will, but I think jarmo might throw a grenade at the room to give it a jolt.

I just can't see it unless it's for a top tier D, I just don't see moving him when we are desperate for high end talent. Dudes been a PPG player since we've acquired him, he just needs to stay healthy and find some consistency and playing center could help keep him more involved in a shift by shift basis.

 

[alphafox]

I voted 2C, I am choosing to believe with land one of the top 3 in this draft who passes him and we end up with a Crosby/Malkin-type situation.

 

[stevo61]

Talent wise a 1C. Only reason that may not be the case is if we draft top 3

 

[VT]

I think his potential is 1C. But nobody can see future. Maybe he can be the second Johnny Gaudreau.

 

[BB88]

I’m honestly not sure Laine will be here. I think he will, but I think jarmo might throw a grenade at the room to give it a jolt.

Wouldn’t you say they’ve traded enough big name trades already and would be time for more consistency?
The big thing has also been Columbus ability to sign star players and trading one after signing him a year ago isn’t the best look.

The boost should come from going all in for a quality Dman

 

[Byrral]

I voted other because this poll said the next two years and there is way too much uncertainty with the team and the roster right now. He may start on the wing and eventually move to C or he could start at C as soon as the start of next season or he could stay at W permanently and continue to be productive. I think this guy has all the tools to be a 1C.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

Wouldn’t you say they’ve traded enough big name trades already and would be time for more consistency?
The big thing has also been Columbus ability to sign star players and trading one after signing him a year ago isn’t the best look.

The boost should come from going all in for a quality Dman

He’s a star in name. Is he actually a star?

Torts came in here and basically sent Johansen out immediately. I believe jarmo and co. wanted Torts to go right at him and see how he reacted to it, and if it was bad, they’d get him out. Which happened.

I could easily see patrik Laine getting the Johansen treatment. I’m not trying to pick on Laine, but when I think of accountability and defensive play that is definitely not him.

 

[KJ Dangler]

Did you guys see his exit interview ? He talks about this very question in detail

 

[CBJx614]

He’s a star in name. Is he actually a star?

Torts came in here and basically sent Johansen out immediately. I believe jarmo and co. wanted Torts to go right at him and see how he reacted to it, and if it was bad, they’d get him out. Which happened.

I could easily see patrik Laine getting the Johansen treatment. I’m not trying to pick on Laine, but when I think of accountability and defensive play that is definitely not him.

He's a PPG player, so yes. He is a star, by definition he's in the upper echelon in the league.

 

[BB88]

He’s a star in name. Is he actually a star?

Torts came in here and basically sent Johansen out immediately. I believe jarmo and co. wanted Torts to go right at him and see how he reacted to it, and if it was bad, they’d get him out. Which happened.

I could easily see patrik Laine getting the Johansen treatment. I’m not trying to pick on Laine, but when I think of accountability and defensive play that is definitely not him.

The name is what matters in this case, around the league/media Laine is seen as a superstar and with Gaudreau is by far the most followed player on the roster.

Trade Jones, trade PLD and now trade Laine and here we go again, the media would love it.

They need to start building some stability/consistency and not repeat the past.

& I see about zero reasons to trade Laine, his trade return wouldn’t be massive, the W would look pretty thin& his contract is a non issue with Jarmo clearing out the Voracek contract.

& I haven’t personnally seen/read any bad reports on Laine and riff with the management, I believe Johansen didn’t have as good of a relationship as Laine has?

 

[5th Line Fanatic]

I voted other.
Too soon to know. At this time last year a lot of you had Sillinger penciled in as a 2C.

 

[stevo61]

I voted other.
Too soon to know. At this time last year a lot of you had Sillinger penciled in as a 2C.

Hes 19, do you think that upside disappeared already?

 

[Marioesque]

He'll hopefully play 2C we need him to pan out as center. Laine at 1C unless we get Bedard.

 

[NotCommitted]

I could easily see patrik Laine getting the Johansen treatment. I’m not trying to pick on Laine, but when I think of accountability and defensive play that is definitely not him.

Tbh it's a bit weird gripe to have with him when he just had a season where he led the team in CF%, CA/60 and SA/60 (out of lineup regulars) while having a 2nd season in a row where his defensive play has much improved, with the player also stating it's something they are working to improve and intend to keep doing so. He also led the team in 5v5 goal differential again, being the only player to go over 50%

I'm not trying to say he was the best defensive forward in the team and obviously he wasn't used that way, but I just don't see his defensive play being an issue in either attitude or execution.

 

[BB88]

Hes 19, do you think that upside disappeared already?

Not to mention when did Sillinger ever look as good?

There’s much more data on Johnson than there was for rookie Sillinger

 

[5th Line Fanatic]

Hes 19, do you think that upside disappeared already?

I wasn't that impressed with last year and I think he looked like sh!t this year. I'm not worried about upside, I'm worried about guys that can play at the NHL level. Sillinger was not an NHL caliber player this year. I suspect his journey is going to look a lot like his Dad's.

This is my point about prospects, at best, half the time they don't pan out. We've been so conditioned as a fan base to accept mediocrity on the ice because we have this prospect or that prospect on the way. I'm probably choosing the wrong forum for this discussion since this is a Prospect forum, but I'm damn tired of waiting for prospects that usually don't pan out. A big market fanbase would not tolerate this crap. But, we're just happy to have a team so we put up with it.