Prospect Info: Ryan Johnson, D, 2019 #31 overall: Signed, Rochester (AHL), Recalled 12/5/24

[Mattilaus]

There are worse outcomes than being the partner for Dahlin or Power...

I agree, but if you had read my post you'd know I am of the opinion that he likely wouldn't be dahlin or powers' partner. So how is this relevant?

 

[Ace]

The way Adams attacks D we spend large portions of the year with Joker and Clague partnering with them. There is no floor for who gets that spot in this organization.

 

[Mattilaus]

The way Adams attacks D we spend large portions of the year with Joker and Clague partnering with them. There is no floor for who gets that spot in this organization.

See this is the thing, you are arguing from a position of assuming Adams will not get a D in the off-season. This is also irrelevant if Johnson or Johnson's camp think he will.

If they think he will get a 4th D (like the rest of the hockey world thinks and like his attempt at chychrun seems to indicate) then Johnson is stuck at #5 at best. Whether it actually happens in the future doesn't matter when it comes to what Johnson does right now.

 

[Dirty Dog]

The way Adams attacks D we spend large portions of the year with Joker and Clague partnering with them. There is no floor for who gets that spot in this organization.

Why do you have to complain about the GM in every thread? Every singly topic has your same rants.

Isn’t there a thread where you can shout to yourself?

 

[Push Dr Tracksuit]

Why do you have to complain about the GM in every thread? Every singly topic has your same rants.

Isn’t there a thread where you can shout to yourself?

There is but the poster is so tuned out by everyone else that no one goes into those threads to respond.

 

[Dingo44]

There is but the poster is so tuned out by everyone else that no one goes into those threads to respond.

Exactly - I ignore the Kevyn Adams thread for a reason.

 

[Jim Bob]

I agree, but if you had read my post you'd know I am of the opinion that he likely wouldn't be dahlin or powers' partner. So how is this relevant?

You said the best case scenario was being 4D. And I am saying that being the 4th top 4 D on this team is not a bad thing as you are likely playing with Power or Dahlin.

And even if they add a top 4 D this offseason, Johnson would likely be a Sabre longer than that guy.

 

[Mattilaus]

You said the best case scenario was being 4D. And I am saying that being the 4th top 4 D on this team is not a bad thing as you are likely playing with Power or Dahlin.

And even if they add a top 4 D this offseason, Johnson would likely be a Sabre longer than that guy.

Best Case doesn't equate to most likely result. The best case is I win the lottery tomorrow but that is simply not likely to happen.

 

[Bendium]

If Johnson is worried that there is not top pairing minutes open to him on the Sabres, and that's the reason for him looking elsewhere, then I am laughing while showing him the door. Sorry, but he is just not that good. My ceiling on him is a solid bottom pairing dman, and he is going to have to work to become that. I have him penciled for a year in the AHL transitioning to the pro's and then we see.

I think his dad is the controlling type and has most of the say here. I bet KA gave him a reasonable plan given where he is in his develnopment. AHL tryout, ELC starting next year, and he gets a chance to earn a spot in camp, but if he is not NHL ready then he will be top pairing in the AHL. I think his own camp is worried about his ceiling and wants to go to whatever team will guarantee he starts and stays in the NHL.

bye bye

 

[SundherDome]

Has anyone just thought he may just want to take a break after that heartbreaking loss? He may not want to be around the rink, this an ATO is not in the cards for him.

 

[Irie]

Has anyone just thought he may just want to take a break after that heartbreaking loss? He may not want to be around the rink, this an ATO is not in the cards for him.

Not really. I don't think he is home devastated and pouting over the loss from a couple of weeks ago.

Once his chance to sign and burn a year of the ELC was missed, there was really no incentive to not test free agency and at least see what is out there.

Now he has the chance to see if there is another city to choose, maybe a team with some AHL guys he is familiar with, maybe a state with a lot less income tax, or maybe just another organization where he feels he will have a better chance to reach his potential.

In the end, maybe Buffalo turns out to be his best option and he chooses the Sabres (although I think Adams may really want that draft pick at this point).

 

[SundherDome]

Not really. I don't think he is home devastated and pouting over the loss from a couple of weeks ago.

Once his chance to sign and burn a year of the ELC was missed, there was really no incentive to not test free agency and at least see what is out there.

Now he has the chance to see if there is another city to choose, maybe a team with some AHL guys he is familiar with, maybe a state with a lot less income tax, or maybe just another organization where he feels he will have a better chance to reach his potential.

In the end, maybe Buffalo turns out to be his best option and he chooses the Sabres (although I think Adams may really want that draft pick at this point).

I never said he was pouting nor should we assume that. Guy went back to school to win a natty and came as close as you possibly could to winning one. It's gotta be hard to accept and then a your friends are moving on to their NHL teams, it could just be mentally hard.

Adams could also be working on a trade for a prospect swap or something like that.

Who knows!

 

[Irie]

I never said he was pouting nor should we assume that. Guy went back to school to win a natty and came as close as you possibly could to winning one. It's gotta be hard to accept and then a your friends are moving on to their NHL teams, it could just be mentally hard.

Adams could also be working on a trade for a prospect swap or something like that.

Who knows!

Oh, I am certain it was mentally hard, but I am guessing he's played competitive hockey for most of his life, and I am sure he has experienced heartbreaking losses before, and if he keeps playing, he will experience heartbreaking losses in the future.

Taking a break and staying away from hockey for weeks to process a loss while his pro career opportunities are unfolding before him does sound a bit like dwelling on the past, when it would be in his best interest to just be proud of how well his team did and look forward to the next chapter of his hockey career. Sorry if I characterized that differently than you intended it.

As far as the trade goes, I feel like Adams would be lucky to get a late third for a signed Johnson, so I do not believe any team is going to give up something better than the comp 2nd, but there are *strange* GMs out there and I could be way off.

 

[SundherDome]

Oh, I am certain it was mentally hard, but I am guessing he's played competitive hockey for most of his life, and I am sure he has experienced heartbreaking losses before, and if he keeps playing, he will experience heartbreaking losses in the future.

Taking a break and staying away from hockey for weeks to process a loss while his pro career opportunities are unfolding before him does sound a bit like dwelling on the past, when it would be in his best interest to just be proud of how well his team did and look forward to the next chapter of his hockey career. Sorry if I characterized that differently than you intended it.

As far as the trade goes, I feel like Adams would be lucky to get a late third for a signed Johnson, so I do not believe any team is going to give up something better than the comp 2nd, but there are *strange* GMs out there and I could be way off.

I was thinking more of trading him for a more NHL ready dman. I.E a guy like Attard. Philly gets a higher ceiling guy for someone they need to find space for.

 

[Jim Bob]

Best Case doesn't equate to most likely result. The best case is I win the lottery tomorrow but that is simply not likely to happen.

There are not a lot of teams out there where there is a clear path to a guy like Johnson being a top pairing/top PP D.

Besides, if you look at what Johnson projects out to, it is not a guy that fills one of the roles that Dahlin and Power fill unless it is on a team with a really bad D.

We have no idea why Johnson hasn't signed yet and the logic that is going into the decision. I just think concerns about the Sabres D depth moving forward are interesting given how thin the Sabres D pipeline is.

 

[Mattilaus]

There are not a lot of teams out there where there is a clear path to a guy like Johnson being a top pairing/top PP D.

Besides, if you look at what Johnson projects out to, it is not a guy that fills one of the roles that Dahlin and Power fill unless it is on a team with a really bad D.

We have no idea why Johnson hasn't signed yet and the logic that is going into the decision. I just think concerns about the Sabres D depth moving forward are interesting given how thin the Sabres D pipeline is.

I agree he is not likely to be the kind of guy who gets top pair or top PP time, but as a professional hockey player, i highly doubt he is sitting there thinking "well, the best I will ever be is a #5 D man so it doesn't matter which team I go to"

If that IS his mentality then I don't want him here anyways. Athletes are competitive people and I highly doubt he doesn't think he is capable of being a top guy. Again, I agree, he is unlikely to be a top D man in the league. I am just commenting on potentially his state of mind.

He is from california i believe? I could be wrong on this, someone please correct me if I am. Both Anaheim and San Jose have more opportunity on the blue line than we do. And if the argument is that he should want to play with Dahlin and Power, well maybe he wants to play with Karlsson AND still live closer to his home.

Obviously we are all just speculating at this point. I don't know anything any more than you do. These are just my thoughts as to why he might look at this team and decide it is not for him. Clearly something is making him think that.

 

[joshjull]

Has anyone just thought he may just want to take a break after that heartbreaking loss? He may not want to be around the rink, this an ATO is not in the cards for him.

It’s certainly a possibility. But that wouldn’t prevent him from signing his ELC.

 

[Djp]

Has anyone just thought he may just want to take a break after that heartbreaking loss? He may not want to be around the rink, this an ATO is not in the cards for him.

He could have signed a 23/24 contract start with no rochester ato.

 

[Jim Bob]

I agree he is not likely to be the kind of guy who gets top pair or top PP time, but as a professional hockey player, i highly doubt he is sitting there thinking "well, the best I will ever be is a #5 D man so it doesn't matter which team I go to"

If that IS his mentality then I don't want him here anyways. Athletes are competitive people and I highly doubt he doesn't think he is capable of being a top guy. Again, I agree, he is unlikely to be a top D man in the league. I am just commenting on potentially his state of mind.

He is from california i believe? I could be wrong on this, someone please correct me if I am. Both Anaheim and San Jose have more opportunity on the blue line than we do. And if the argument is that he should want to play with Dahlin and Power, well maybe he wants to play with Karlsson AND still live closer to his home.

Obviously we are all just speculating at this point. I don't know anything any more than you do. These are just my thoughts as to why he might look at this team and decide it is not for him. Clearly something is making him think that.

I have no problem with players having a realistic view of what their strengths and weaknesses are and where they would fit in a team's plans over the long term.

Would you have wanted Josh Bloom expecting to be a top line point producer in the NHL? Or Lukas Rousek thinking that way? I wouldn't. I would much rather have them focus on what the realistic path to the NHL is for them. Not every player, even 1st round picks, will realistically be top pairing/top line guys.

My guess is that there are reasons other than Dahlin, Power, and Samuelsson being here long term as to why he hasn't signed yet and may walk as a UFA.

 

[Mattilaus]

I have no problem with players having a realistic view of what their strengths and weaknesses are and where they would fit in a team's plans over the long term.

Would you have wanted Josh Bloom expecting to be a top line point producer in the NHL? Or Lukas Rousek thinking that way? I wouldn't. I would much rather have them focus on what the realistic path to the NHL is for them. Not every player, even 1st round picks, will realistically be top pairing/top line guys.

My guess is that there are reasons other than Dahlin, Power, and Samuelsson being here long term as to why he hasn't signed yet and may walk as a UFA.

No, you are misunderstanding what I am saying. I am not saying Rousek should expect to be a top 6 player. I am saying I don't want a Rousek who sees the bottom six as his ceiling. I want him to both want and think he can be a top 6 player or more. I want a player who is confident and tries to constantly excel. Not just say, well I am projected to be a bottom pair D man so that's all I will try to be.

To me, it would be a mark against Johnson if he thought, well it doesn't matter if I never get a shot to be a top guy because I am projected to be a bottom pair D man anyways.

 

[SundherDome]

He could have signed a 23/24 contract start with no rochester ato.

Could he have? Maybe Adams said ATO and contract? We will never know...

 

[Jim Bob]

No, you are misunderstanding what I am saying. I am not saying Rousek should expect to be a top 6 player. I am saying I don't want a Rousek who sees the bottom six as his ceiling. I want him to both want and think he can be a top 6 player or more. I want a player who is confident and tries to constantly excel. Not just say, well I am projected to be a bottom pair D man so that's all I will try to be.

To me, it would be a mark against Johnson if he thought, well it doesn't matter if I never get a shot to be a top guy because I am projected to be a bottom pair D man anyways.

I knew what you were saying and I disagree with it.

Working to be the best you can be has nothing to do with what you view your long term role to be.

I want Rousek focusing on what he needs to be for the Sabres and not other things.

 

[debaser66]

This guy has made it real easy to cheer against him if he walks away. I did it with Peterson and Vesey, I have no problem dishing out more.

Vesey wasnt drafted by us; not his fault the exexGM thinks he would sign and be worth a 3rd

 

[WhereAreTheCookies]

No, you are misunderstanding what I am saying. I am not saying Rousek should expect to be a top 6 player. I am saying I don't want a Rousek who sees the bottom six as his ceiling. I want him to both want and think he can be a top 6 player or more. I want a player who is confident and tries to constantly excel. Not just say, well I am projected to be a bottom pair D man so that's all I will try to be.

To me, it would be a mark against Johnson if he thought, well it doesn't matter if I never get a shot to be a top guy because I am projected to be a bottom pair D man anyways.

I don't agree that a player seeing themselves as a bottom 6 player is necessarily a bad thing. Especially when that player knows their skillset and what that type of player brings.

Bottom 6 players usually have different things expected from them than top 6 players. If a player styles his game as a defensively responsible energy guy, I'd want that player to focus on their strengths in those areas, rather than trying to focus on a more offensive minded skillset that may not suit how they play the game.

Jack McBain is a good example of this. He wanted to be traded from Minny because he saw his role as a bottom 6 center and didn't see opportunity there. It's not a lack of confidence in himself, but more an understanding of both his abilities and the path in front of him. Doesn't mean he doesn't want to be the best player he can be, just that he understands his role on a team.

 

[Chainshot]

I knew what you were saying and I disagree with it.

Working to be the best you can be has nothing to do with what you view your long term role to be.

I want Rousek focusing on what he needs to be for the Sabres and not other things.

That's also the messaging from Appert for one to someone like Rousek - he's said as much publicly in the last few weeks.

I agree he is not likely to be the kind of guy who gets top pair or top PP time, but as a professional hockey player, i highly doubt he is sitting there thinking "well, the best I will ever be is a #5 D man so it doesn't matter which team I go to"

If that IS his mentality then I don't want him here anyways. Athletes are competitive people and I highly doubt he doesn't think he is capable of being a top guy. Again, I agree, he is unlikely to be a top D man in the league. I am just commenting on potentially his state of mind.

He is from california i believe? I could be wrong on this, someone please correct me if I am. Both Anaheim and San Jose have more opportunity on the blue line than we do. And if the argument is that he should want to play with Dahlin and Power, well maybe he wants to play with Karlsson AND still live closer to his home.

Obviously we are all just speculating at this point. I don't know anything any more than you do. These are just my thoughts as to why he might look at this team and decide it is not for him. Clearly something is making him think that.

I've addressed this in other parts of this very thread, but Anaheim in particular is stocked with more quality and variety of defense prospects than one could shake a bundle of hockey sticks at. There is no path there. As for San Jose, they've gone out and back-filled their LHD with Okhotyuk, Mukhamadullin, and Thrun in a way that is going to very much impeded anyone from stepping in immediately unless they have a better pedigree than any of these folks - and that ain't Johnson.