First NHL point in his fourth game as a Blue Jacket.
Less than a year ago, the Columbus Blue Jackets found out they would be selecting 5th overall with their first pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft. With that pick, the club chose the talented, left-handed center out of Port Moody, BC, Canada - Kent Johnson.
Johnson was touted as a skilled stick handler and skater who also played a very cerebral game. This is his draft profile from EliteProspects.
"Johnson’s creative output is the byproduct of carefully honed techniques and a gifted mind. He handles the puck with his top hand free from his body, pushed forward with precision, quickness, and agility. When he’s feeling it, the game looks effortless. Johnson anticipates player movement so exceptionally well, whether they’re teammates or opponents, and lets that mental map of the ice dictate his plan of attack." -EliteProspects 2021 NHL Draft Guide
Before he was drafted, Johnson had already proven he could put points on the board. In his last season of Junior A level hockey in the BCHL, he had a line of 41-60-101 in 52 games, just shy of an astounding two points per game. The Port Moody native then went on to play for the University of Michigan, where he had 27 points in 26 games for 1.04 ppg.
Fellow Blue Jackets' first round pick from the '21 draft, Cole Sillinger (12th overall), stepped in and played right away, becoming the youngest player in the NHL. However, the team wanted Johnson to take more time to develop. The UM center had a slight build at 6'1" 165 lb. when he was drafted. He needed another year of college hockey under his belt in order to bulk up and get used to the physicality of the game, as well as to further develop his skills.
In his second year with Michigan, the left-hander took another step forward on the offensive end, posting a stat line of 8-29-37. He went from a plus/minus of +16 in his first year to +25 in his second. He also progressed from 1.04 ppg to 1.19 ppg, which was good enough for tenth highest ppg in all of division one hockey this past season.
The rumors that Johnson would sign with the Jackets after his season at Michigan was over, continued to grow as the Frozen Four drew nearer. Then, on April 8th, after his team's earlier than expected exit from the college tournament, Columbus signed Johnson to a three-year entry-level contract. Just five days later, after getting his work visa, the long-anticipated wait to see the 5th overall pick hit the ice was over. He, along with his UM teammate, Nick Blankenburg debuted on April 13th in a home game against the Montreal Canadiens.
As Johnson got his feet wet in his first three games in a Blue Jackets' sweater, he became more comfortable with the pace of play in the NHL. The only thing that was still missing was his first NHL point. That ended up coming on Tuesday night against the San Jose Sharks. Johnson got the secondary assist on Jack Roslovic's first goal of the night as Kent fed Justin Danforth who then took it up the ice and passed it across the goal to an open Roslovic as he put it in the back of the net.
Johnson was able to get the monkey off his back with his first point; now Blue Jackets' fans can't wait to see his first NHL goal. That and more will come as Johnson looks to have a bright future ahead of him.
