Player Discussion: Kent Johnson

[CBJx614]

This means KJ > Bedard right?

 

[CBJx614]

 

[Youngguns1380]

 

[tunnelvision]

Not sure if this was already posted somewhere but whatever. Just KJ skating with other NHL talents, scores a dandy at 12:27.

 

[stevo61]

That has more intensity than the Pittsburgh game

 

[CBJx614]

2 years into a rebuild and 20 points out of a playoff spot is the time to build a competitive team? Time to start competing? Time to sign Gaudreau, Gudbranson?

What I said last year:
Johnson, Sillinger, Marchenko, Jiricek, Chinakhov all to the AHL (where a lot of them belong anyway). Gavrikov traded before the season, same with Nyquist (who we got no value from due to him being hurt).

29-38-13
19-96-52
50-17-72
23-7-24
8-2
44-27
22-77

Our “Good” CBJ team started 3-9, the team above would be terrible - looks like a Chicago/SJS level team.


Yet Johnson is not a C, and looks to be a winger. Sillinger struggled in year two and is middle 6 potential C anyway.

The bolded is my exact point.

You are kind of crazy for that. We have had a 1C for maybe 2-3 years in franchise history, accomplished nothing, and people are okay with continuing with that same plan? You can follow development in the AHL.

Except when it comes to players leaving and wanting out as UFAs? Or does that count against Jarmo now?

What makes Johnson not look like a center?! Because our failed HC didn't play him there? He was a center in most regards except for taking faceoffs.

 

[Cowumbus]

What makes Johnson not look like a center?! Because our failed HC didn't play him there? He was a center in most regards except for taking faceoffs.

Strength, face off prowess, defensive ability, not playing there in years.

No you’re right, he and Laine would have made a great 1-2C punch when the rebuild finished.

 

[CBJx614]

Strength, face off prowess, defensive ability, not playing there in years.

No you’re right, he and Laine would have made a great 1-2C punch when the rebuild finished.

Strength I'll give you, but he's not going to play the physical center role, more of the datsyuk style.

Face-off prowess, the only way to get better is to go through it and learn how to do it. It didn't stop the devil's from playing Jack Hughes at center, with his 35%. Babs also wants multiple players who can play center on a line, so have Jenner take faceoffs and let Johnson take the center responsibility.

Defensive ability I have little to no concern about. He looked just fine defensively last year and was already taking the center responsibility in his own zone quite often last season

 

[Crede777]

Improving his strength and working on face-offs will be key if Johnson is going to earn a longer look in the middle of the ice — perhaps something that will come with a fresh start after the Blue Jackets hire a new coach — and both of those are elements he plans to focus on this summer.

"I think I can play the position," Johnson said. "I mean, yeah, I was in the for a bit early in the year and I felt pretty good. Obviously, the faceoffs are something I can improve on, but I mean, look around the league. Even (Seattle Kraken center Matty) Beniers, (Anaheim Ducks center Mason) McTavish, young guys that were always really good at faceoffs at their level, (they) weren’t that good this year. It’s just hard as a rookie."

After a strong rookie season, what's next for Columbus Blue Jackets forward Kent Johnson?

Kent Johnson turned in consistent performances throughout his rookie season with the Blue Jackets.

www.dispatch.com

 

[GoJackets1]

What coach is it that teaches faceoff skills? The skills coach? I could be wrong but I don’t think any of our young “possible” centers have improved in the FO department recently. Either it’s a you have it or you don’t skill, or whoever coaches it for us doesn’t do a good job.

 

[majormajor]

KJ is looking really good at transitioning pucks up ice and surprisingly good defensively for such a young and thin player. That's all I want to see. If you can bring those elements to the team you can make a big impact. That's more or less what an archetypal "center" is for. I don't really care where the coach lines him up.

What coach is it that teaches faceoff skills? The skills coach? I could be wrong but I don’t think any of our young “possible” centers have improved in the FO department recently. Either it’s a you have it or you don’t skill, or whoever coaches it for us doesn’t do a good job.

We're in an age where most of these kids have their own trainers and skills coaches. KJ certainly does.

Faceoffs are not a you have it or you don't thing. I'm not sure how much coaching helps with it, certainly experience is the biggest factor, just looking at how much better older players are at it.

 

[Xoggz22]

KJ is looking really good at transitioning pucks up ice and surprisingly good defensively for such a young and thin player. That's all I want to see. If you can bring those elements to the team you can make a big impact. That's more or less what an archetypal "center" is for. I don't really care where the coach lines him up.



We're in an age where most of these kids have their own trainers and skills coaches. KJ certainly does.

Faceoffs are not a you have it or you don't thing. I'm not sure how much coaching helps with it, certainly experience is the biggest factor, just looking at how much better older players are at it.

Faceoffs also aren't solely the impact of the guy in the circle. Certainly a key to the win but the others on the ice still play a role in faceoff wins or losses. CBJ didn't have that experience either - or players that aren't good at the peripheral support functions for faceoffs.

 

[thebus88]

Other than Fantilli, Johnson is literally the last person I would move from the team. Long term, he’s very easy to project as a center. His current effectiveness at the position will have its ups and downs due to himself and (maybe more so) the current CBJ roster. With where our centers and overall team has been the last 2-3 years, he should have been playing center regularly over at least both Sillinger and Roslovic IMO.

Can somebody get Portzline or Scheig to ask Jarmo who has been behind the decisions behind where Johnson and Sillinger have been playing the last couple years, both organizationally and positionally??

Johnson is never going to be a “crash and bang” type player to use his pure strength to get into danger areas offensively or to defend. But, IMO, he’s shown enough willingness to at least try to make plays in the center area of the ice and near the net, and all of this will only get easier for him as time goes on and he gains more experience and strength.

His overall “awareness” is something special, it really is. Datsyuk is obviously a tough name to throw out there, but, at least stylistically and looking at their versatility they bring to the ice, the comparison and potential outlook of KJ as a player, is accurate or acceptable.

 

[stevo61]

Other than Fantilli, Johnson is literally the last person I would move from the team. Long term, he’s very easy to project as a center. His current effectiveness at the position will have its ups and downs due to himself and (maybe more so) the current CBJ roster. With where our centers and overall team has been the last 2-3 years, he should have been playing center regularly over at least both Sillinger and Roslovic IMO.

Can somebody get Portzline or Scheig to ask Jarmo who has been behind the decisions behind where Johnson and Sillinger have been playing the last couple years, both organizationally and positionally??

Johnson is never going to be a “crash and bang” type player to use his pure strength to get into danger areas offensively or to defend. But, IMO, he’s shown enough willingness to at least try to make plays in the center area of the ice and near the net, and all of this will only get easier for him as time goes on and he gains more experience and strength.

His overall “awareness” is something special, it really is. Datsyuk is obviously a tough name to throw out there, but, at least stylistically and looking at their versatility they bring to the ice, the comparison and potential outlook of KJ as a player, is accurate or acceptable.

Coaches coach. Jarmo can give his opinion but Larsen would have positioned them where he wanted. If he listened to Jarmo out of fear of his job or something that would be a negative to Larsen.

As for this season I want KJ at center too but with Babcock's love of puck possesion I dont know if he'll be a fan of KJ there. Unless Boone is a winger on that line to cover a lot of the faceoff duties while Johnson takes the rest of the roles of a center.

It will be interesting to follow longterm if Johnson can add some mass. 1 of the underrated things about Datsyuk was that he was actually quite solid. He could dance around you but he could also surprise guys and put his shoulder into them if he wanted. The Shea Weber play always pops to mind when I think of Datsyuk.

 

[CBJx614]

Coaches coach. Jarmo can give his opinion but Larsen would have positioned them where he wanted. If he listened to Jarmo out of fear of his job or something that would be a negative to Larsen.

As for this season I want KJ at center too but with Babcock's love of puck possesion I dont know if he'll be a fan of KJ there. Unless Boone is a winger on that line to cover a lot of the faceoff duties while Johnson takes the rest of the roles of a center.

It will be interesting to follow longterm if Johnson can add some mass. 1 of the underrated things about Datsyuk was that he was actually quite solid. He could dance around you but he could also surprise guys and put his shoulder into them if he wanted. The Shea Weber play always pops to mind when I think of Datsyuk.

I'm curious to see what he comes in to camp at. The website has him at 175. Datsyuk was an inch shorter and 20 lbs heavier.

But that's also most likely from the last 5-10 years of his career. I imagine he was pretty similar if not smaller than Johnson when he was drafted

 

[Cowumbus]

How big of a jump can Johnson make this year? 60 points?

 

[majormajor]

How big of a jump can Johnson make this year? 60 points?

#1 PP and topline will decide that. If he gets the best opportunities then 60 pts would be lower than I'd expect. I think 70. But there's a lot of good players fighting for that ice time.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

How big of a jump can Johnson make this year? 60 points?

The jump would be 60 points? Or the jump would be TO 60 points?

 

[Cowumbus]

The jump would be 60 points? Or the jump would be TO 60 points?

Yes

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Yes

So he was at 40 points last season, a 60-point jump would take him to 100. I'd love that.

 

[Cowumbus]

So he was at 40 points last season, a 60-point jump would take him to 100. I'd love that.

Either one would be great. 100 total points seems less likely than 60.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

 

[Dion TheFluff]

where abouts is he projected to play in the lineup?
curious for fantasy hockey

 

[Napoli]

where abouts is he projected to play in the lineup?
curious for fantasy hockey

2nd/3rd line winger, probably with Fantilli. Will get some secondary PP time but could move up if Vincent switches the lines.

 

[CBJWerenski8]