Player Discussion: Kent Johnson

[CBJx614]

I hope he truly loves the gym too. Superficially I could be lead to believe that he's gotten stronger in recent months.

The cross training with roller hockey is something I'm a little iffy on. I know all the BC kids do it but it's not the best when you're trying to improve foot speed and edge work on the ice. You need to go past the natural limits of what you can do on wheels.

Apparently KJ and Lindstrom workout together in the off-season.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Kid truly loves the game.

I made this comment last offseason and I followed it up with a concern which I admitted was baseless as far as reported or quoted evidence, just a sense.

It's clear he loves playing the game. I just wonder if he's passionate about winning, about competing, about team success.

 

[Cowumbus]

I hope he truly loves the gym too. Superficially I could be lead to believe that he's gotten stronger in recent months.

The cross training with roller hockey is something I'm a little iffy on. I know all the BC kids do it but it's not the best when you're trying to improve foot speed and edge work on the ice. You need to go past the natural limits of what you can do on wheels.

It’s nice to see players who love the game, especially after guys like Dubois have been around.

You turned a rare complement into something negative.

I made this comment last offseason and I followed it up with a concern which I admitted was baseless as far as reported or quoted evidence, just a sense.

It's clear he loves playing the game. I just wonder if he's passionate about winning, about competing, about team success.

Hard to refute a baseless claim /s

Here is a quote from Mel Pearson though:
"He’ll be able to [get bigger and stronger to be a C in the NHL] because he’s got the will and the want, and he’s definitely got the smarts to do that. ... They’re getting a really good player who’s gonna do everything he can to become a great player."

Jeff Tambolini TBL Pro Scout:
“He’s never been given the benefit of the doubt, he’s had to earn everything. He’s going to go from never having worn a Canadian jersey to maybe being a top 10 pick.”

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Hard to refute a baseless claim.

I'm not asking you to refute it? Unless you are somehow obligated.

 

[Cowumbus]

I'm not asking you to refute it? Unless you are somehow obligated.

Just messing around, I posted a quote above.

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Just messing around, I posted a quote above.

LOL so hard but not impossible? Or maybe that was actually easy!

Anyway I've always liked KJ. Likeable player with a desirable skillset. That said, it is possible to be super jonesed about playing the game but not be driven. For example enjoying just the feel of skating and passing and shooting and making sweet plays just for their own joy while being less concerned about whether you win. Which is not to suggest the player doesn't want to win or is more interested in putting up stats or scoring lacrosse goals or whatever. (Anyone remember the tennis pro Gael Monfils? Damn he was a beauty player.)

I'd say that I'd like to be wrong about KJ but I don't even know that it's a position I hold. It's just related somewhat to the "loves the game" thing, with which I agree. So I posted it.

 

[Cowumbus]

LOL so hard but not impossible? Or maybe that was actually easy!

Anyway I've always liked KJ. Likeable player with a desirable skillset. That said, it is possible to be super jonesed about playing the game but not be driven. I'd say that I'd like to be wrong about KJ but I don't even know that it's a position I hold. It's just related somewhat to the "loves the game" thing, with which I agree. So I posted it.

This is a good quote too:
“He’s probably one of the most dedicated athletes to his craft that I’ve ever seen,” Tambellini said of Johnson’s game. “He’s a worker. He’s on the ice at all times — when you let him — he just wants to get better. He wants to work on his skating, he wants to work on his puckhandling, he wants to work on his passing. He always believes he can be better and he always believes he can take his game to the next level.“

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

This is a good quote too:
“He’s probably one of the most dedicated athletes to his craft that I’ve ever seen,” Tambellini said of Johnson’s game. “He’s a worker. He’s on the ice at all times — when you let him — he just wants to get better. He wants to work on his skating, he wants to work on his puckhandling, he wants to work on his passing. He always believes he can be better and he always believes he can take his game to the next level.“

Yeah I added some context to the post you quote here, if you're interested.

"On the ice all the time" is the exact point. I would never doubt that. It probably feels great and gives joy. But is he driven to compete? Again, I'm just asking.. And I realize it's a complicated semantics thing. I should probably just let it go.

 

[Cowumbus]

Yeah I added some context to the post you quote here, if you're interested.

"On the ice all the time" is the exact point. I would never doubt that. It probably feels great and gives joy. But is he driven to compete? Again, I'm just asking.. And I realize it's a complicated semantics thing. I should probably just let it go.

I think all are old enough to drive

That is subjective, How do you quantify? How do you know if his drive to compete is any higher than Cole Sillinger’s? Do you value internal drive, as a form of competition? Do you question others? Is Sillinger safe from criticism regarding his drive? If so, why?

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

I think all are old enough to drive

That is subjective, How do you quantify? How do you know if his drive to compete is any higher than Cole Sillinger’s? Do you value internal drive, as a form of competition? Do you question others? Is Sillinger safe from criticism regarding his drive? If so, why?

Why would anyone be "safe from criticism"? Jokes aside about it being ""what we do here," I just don't get the question.

And of course it's subjective. Some things you just watch and you get impressions and form opinions and share them on message boards where they might be agreed or disagreed with.

 

[Cowumbus]

Why would anyone be "safe from criticism"? Jokes aside about it being ""what we do here," I just don't get the question.

The people who would be safe are those who “you just watch and you get impressions and form opinions and share them on message boards”

I am more so asking, what other players do you worry about their drive, and who are those young players you don’t worry about? Sillinger is an arbitrary example. I am asking because this is the first player I have seen you state a “concern” about not having the drive to compete.

Maybe if I can understand who you aren’t concerned about vs who you are, I can get a better idea of what impressions/factors you may value.

 

[CBJWerenski8]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1818662534045376881

 

[DJB]

What are the expectations for KJ this year guys?

Top 6 with some big numbers?

I absolutely loved him coming out of the NCAA I thought he was one of the best draft prospects and I have high hopes.

Thanks in advance!

 

[squashmaple]

What are the expectations for KJ this year guys?

Top 6 with some big numbers?

I absolutely loved him coming out of the NCAA I thought he was one of the best draft prospects and I have high hopes.

Thanks in advance!

If only there were at least 14 pages of discussion on the player. Bummer how we’ve never even talked about him before.

All seriousness though, he’s got a long uphill climb this season. He had a major shoulder injury and surgery in the late spring. He says he’s 100% now, but we’ll see. He has a frame that doesn’t lend itself to bulk, isn’t a very good skater, and needs to regain confidence after the shitty year he had last year. We think a big reason he took a three year deal was that the first year is going to be rocky and he didn’t want that to be a contract year.

 

[majormajor]

What are the expectations for KJ this year guys?

Top 6 with some big numbers?

Big numbers would be hard to come by, I think, he's got to get faster and stronger still. There are so many young players who are more physically ready for those minutes and it's perhaps most likely that he ends up back in a sheltered third line role.

If only there were at least 14 pages of discussion on the player. Bummer how we’ve never even talked about him before.

I don't believe we've talked too precisely about what we expect from Kent in terms of line deployment and production. Largely because there are so many players and we have no idea what Evason will do with him.

 

[JacketFanInFL]

What are the expectations for KJ this year guys?

Top 6 with some big numbers?

I absolutely loved him coming out of the NCAA I thought he was one of the best draft prospects and I have high hopes.

Thanks in advance!

To answer your actual question, don’t worry about drafting him for your fantasy team.

 

[CBJx614]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1822433037360996794

 

[ThisIsMyAlibi]

The skill was never the concern…

 

[CBJx614]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1837872066701168763

Super exciting honestly, I think we see a big year from him if he's healthy.

“(I feel) great,” Johnson said. “Unreal. My body is the best it’s ever felt. It was just a long summer for me. It was a really long offseason with a new trainer and a new training program. It felt like it’s been a lot better for me. So I’m excited.”

“At first, it was a lot of figuring out how to get the shoulder and upper body healthy. While I was getting the shoulder healthy, I could hammer the legs. I gained a lot of leg strength early on which I think was beneficial. Then once I got healthy, a lot of speed work. It was the transition stuff I focused more on this year and my speed. I think it’s all been really helpful. Having so much time to do strength early in the summer and then transition to speed later in the summer. That was great for me.”

Johnson looks visibly bigger and stronger. He knows it too. He’s very excited to see all of his hard work translate on the ice once the new season gets going.

“My numbers are up and my weight is up and then most importantly, my speed numbers are up,” Johnson said. “That was something we tracked and did a much better job focusing on this summer. The speed is huge for my game and I’m really excited to see where it goes.”

 

[CBJx614]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1839723459028402349

Great mindset for him to have

What’s the biggest thing you’ve learned in the last couple of years that is going to help you the most going forward?

“I think a lot of little things, obviously, but just for me, it’s the body and figuring out how to train the best is a big thing. I think I’ve made a lot of progress in that when I got hurt and trying to figure that stuff out. I’d say that’s the biggest thing. And just learning about the league – you see a lot of other young guys and how they’re doing. It’s just staying level-headed. I watch a lot of other sports, too, and it’s just knowing different opportunities and not getting down on yourself with the little stuff. I believe I’m a really good player. Certain stuff, stats, certain things didn’t go my way (previously). I’m not too worried about it. I’m just excited to play this year.”

 

[CBJx614]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1842685960250908878

KJ in the background

 

[CBJx614]

https://x.com/i/web/status/1846856626566840334

 

[koteka]

If KJ gets injured or starts to suck, blame me. I added him to my fantasy team. I had drafted Boone, so his injury is on me as well.

 

[tunnelvision]

Where would you have KJ in a re-draft if it was held today? Who would you take before him?

 

[Double-Shift Lasse]

Where would you have KJ in a re-draft if it was held today? Who would you take before him?

You mean in koteka’s fantasy league?