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Player Discussion: Kent Johnson

Farmboy Patty

Farmboy Patty

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Nov 2, 2017
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MoeBartoli said:
This season he’s a better player with a certainly better coach whose approach clearly sits better with KJ. Even if he’d come back in stronger like he has, I’m 99% certain he’d have not blossomed like this under Vincent.
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Doggy

Doggy

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Oct 11, 2011
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Just started reading the article...

If KJ's commentary is accurate, you have to shake your head and wonder WTF last's year's coaching staff was thinking. That said, if he had not gone through last year's struggles with that coaching staff maybe he doesn't make the same jump this past off-season. Prosperity comes out of facing adversity.

He's the bionic man: "...He’s bigger, stronger, faster and more confident..."
 
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alphafox

alphafox

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Jun 14, 2011
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Really excited to see him step up and start becoming the player we hoped he could be. He's really stepped up when there was a gaping hole on the team and is now one of the primary drivers of the team. I'm really looking forward to him continuing to grow, he feels like he might be the next captain after we trade Boone and if he can make another jump we could be looking at our best player since Johnny/Panarin.
 

GoJackets1

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Doggy said:
Just started reading the article...

If KJ's commentary is accurate, you have to shake your head and wonder WTF last's year's coaching staff was thinking. That said, if he had not gone through last year's struggles with that coaching staff maybe he doesn't make the same jump this past off-season. Prosperity comes out of facing adversity.

He's the bionic man: "...He’s bigger, stronger, faster and more confident..."
Click to expand...

I get both sides to this. Frankly, Vincent was stuck between a rock and a hard place in the position he was put in last year. That being said, he's not the kind of guy that demands respect simply by virtue of who he is, so he had to create respect for himself. Unfortunately, the way he went about it was by trying to be a hard-ass coach that benched young players for simple mistakes. Obviously, that harms young creative-type players like KJ the most.

It's easy to understand that last year's staff wasn't prepared. It probably would've been better if they had created a system that the players believed in, but that didn't happen either so it was all in all a terrible job. I feel for them in a way given the situation, but I'm very glad to see that it hasn't seemed to affect any of the young players long-term.

That's obviously the biggest difference between Larsen/Vincent and Evason. The former two had to forcefully demand respect of the players. Benching KJ and healthy-scratching Marchenko being two prominent examples, which were ludicrous especially given nothing of the sort happened to veteran players who were obviously not playing up to their standard either. Meanwhile, Evason is respected by the players due to who he is, and therefore the players are allowed more freedom knowing that if they make a mistake, a learning opportunity is coming, rather than a punishment like was the case with Vincent.
 
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stevo61

stevo61

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GoJackets1 said:
I get both sides to this. Frankly, Vincent was stuck between a rock and a hard place in the position he was put in last year. That being said, he's not the kind of guy that demands respect simply by virtue of who he is, so he had to create respect for himself. Unfortunately, the way he went about it was by trying to be a hard-ass coach that benched young players for simple mistakes. Obviously, that harms young creative-type players like KJ the most.

It's easy to understand that last year's staff wasn't prepared. It probably would've been better if they had created a system that the players believed in, but that didn't happen either so it was all in all a terrible job. I feel for them in a way given the situation, but I'm very glad to see that it hasn't seemed to affect any of the young players long-term.

That's obviously the biggest difference between Larsen/Vincent and Evason. The former two had to forcefully demand respect of the players. Benching KJ and healthy-scratching Marchenko being two prominent examples, which were ludicrous especially given nothing of the sort happened to veteran players who were obviously not playing up to their standard either. Meanwhile, Evason is respected by the players due to who he is, and therefore the players are allowed more freedom knowing that if they make a mistake, a learning opportunity is coming, rather than a punishment like was the case with Vincent.
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It always felt flawed and fake to me though. The funny thing about respect is you can't demand it. You can be a hardass but you have to be fair. Vincent probably could have just been himself and have been better off. I think he shot himself in the foot in a major way and now will probably take some time to rebuild his NHL head coach potential.

I don't think this year is all about respecting the coach as much as it is believing what he's selling. The thought of being able to play the game off instinct and reads vs I was told to be here so I can't do this or if I do I'm stapled to the bench is pretty evident. Especially in a young team with skilled players on the way. I hate that they lost that year of developing the right way but KJ and Marchenko especially are thriving in this new system.
 
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GoJackets1

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stevo61 said:
It always felt flawed and fake to me though. The funny thing about respect is you can't demand it. You can be a hardass but you have to be fair. Vincent probably could have just been himself and have been better off. I think he shot himself in the foot in a major way and now will probably take some time to rebuild his NHL head coach potential.

I don't think this year is all about respecting the coach as much as it is believing what he's selling. The thought of being able to play the game off instinct and reads vs I was told to be here so I can't do this or if I do I'm stapled to the bench is pretty evident. Especially in a young team with skilled players on the way. I hate that they lost that year of developing the right way but KJ and Marchenko especially are thriving in this new system.
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Yeah, agreed. I think the bolded is a better way to say what I mean by "respect". They like and respect Evason, but they also believe in his system and probably also have fun playing that way, which makes them buy in even more.
 
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Aaaarrgghh

Aaaarrgghh

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From Portzline's Sunday Gathering, Kent Johnson on his favourite CBJ memory:
"I feel like that game in Colorado, our second game of the season (a 6-4 win). That was a good moment for our team. There was a little feeling like, ‘Wow, we can be a good team!’ We finally beat a really good team on the road. That was a big one for me."

Good choice by KJ. Ultimately, those moments are what this season's about for the team.
 

DarkandStormy

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He has yet to play a game this season where he doesn't record a point.

But for his injury he probably makes Canada's 4NFO roster?
 
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ViD

ViD

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DarkandStormy said:
He has the 8th-highest points per game among Canadian forwards.

I get that they won't make him to the team, but if he has 31 points in 23 games (i.e. no injury)? Not sure how they'd leave him off.
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There’s just too much competition for KJ who’s breaking out this year, they will pick players with more accolades
 

cbjthrowaway

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i've seen comments comparing KJ to other players (saw some on reddit saying he's reminiscent of kane, others saying his transition game reminds them of johnny) but there's one that is striking to me when i've watched him this season.

this version of KJ is a mirror image of cbj-era artemi panarin.

zone entry machine, creates turnovers high in the d-zone, wins puck battles, inspiring creativity with the puck, and deadly on one-timers on the power play. same size, different handedness.
 
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