Blue Jackets' Kent Johnson: Gathers assist in overtime loss
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Johnson notched an assist and two shots on goal in Saturday's 5-4 overtime loss to the Flyers.
Johnson had gone three games without a point entering Saturday. That's the second time he's had a drought of that length, but he's been more good than bad while filling a middle-six role in 2024-25. The 22-year-old is up to nine goals, 10 helpers, 43 shots on net and a minus-3 rating through 20 appearances. Johnson's production and pedigree -- he was taken fifth overall in 2021 -- make him a strong option for most fantasy formats, though he won't add much in the way of physical play.
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Blue Jackets' Kent Johnson: Stays warm with helper
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Johnson logged a power-play assist in Thursday's 2-1 overtime loss to the Capitals.
Johnson has five points over his last three games, though his helper Thursday was his first power-play point since Nov. 23 versus the Hurricanes. He's bounced back well from a brief slump earlier in December. The 22-year-old forward is logging top-line minutes and time on the first power-play unit. He has nine goals, eight assists, 33 shots on net and a plus-2 rating through 15 appearances, which is already better production than his 16-point effort over 42 outings in an injury-shortened 2023-24.
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Blue Jackets' Kent Johnson: Taking next step in game
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Johnson had a goal and an assist in a 5-3 loss to the Flyers on Tuesday.
Johnson has four points (three goals, one assist) across his past two games. The fifth overall pick (2021) appears to be taking the next step in his game. He has nine goals, seven assists and 32 shots in just 14 outings this season, and he's on pace to establish new career marks in all offensive categories. Continue to watch Johnson's 28.1 shooting percentage, which has nowhere to go but down. Still, he's a talented young forward with lots of fantasy promise.
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Blue Jackets' Kent Johnson: Finds twine twice Sunday
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Johnson scored two goals and took four shots in Sunday's 4-1 win over the Jets.
Johnson missed 14 games between Oct. 19 and Nov. 18 due to a shoulder injury, but the right winger has been playing at a high level when available. This two-goal performance snapped a three-game drought, but that stretch was the first time he couldn't crack the scoresheet all season long. Through 13 games, the 22-year-old is up to eight goals and six assists, and he's on pace to deliver career-best numbers as long as he remains healthy.
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Blue Jackets' Kent Johnson: Point in every game played so far
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Johnson scored a goal Friday in a 5-2 win over Calgary.
He went down the right wing, faked a pass across and then wired it inside the far post. Johnson has six points (three goals, three assists) in his past four games, and he has at least a point (five goals, six assists) in all eight games he has played. He missed 14 games with a shoulder injury. Check your wire -- some managers may still be sleeping on Johnson.
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Blue Jackets' Kent Johnson: Stays warm with helper in loss
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Johnson logged an assist and two shots on goal in Wednesday's 4-3 loss to the Canadiens.
Johnson is up to five points over three games since he returned from a shoulder injury. The 22-year-old forward has four goals, six assists, 13 shots on net and a minus-1 rating over seven contests this season. He's yet to be held off the scoresheet, and he figures to be a key part of the Blue Jackets' top six as long as his offense stays hot.
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Blue Jackets' Kent Johnson: Two assists in shootout win
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Johnson provided two assists, added two PIM and went plus-2 in Saturday's 5-4 shootout win over the Hurricanes.
Johnson's first helper was on a Dmitri Voronkov power-play tally, and he also assisted on Kirill Marchenko's game-tying goal in the third period. With two goals and two assists over two contests since his return from a shoulder injury, Johnson is locked in. What's better is that he's seeing time in all situations. The 22-year-old is up to nine points (four on the power play, two shorthanded), 10 shots on net and a minus-1 rating through six appearances. He's got the skill to take the Blue Jackets' offense to the next level.
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Blue Jackets' Kent Johnson: Offensive outburst in return
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Johnson (shoulder) scored twice Thursday in a 7-6 overtime win over the Lightning. One of the goals came on the power play and the other came shorthanded.
Johnson became the eighth player in Blue Jackets history to score a short-handed and a power-play goal in the same game. He had missed 14 games with his shoulder injury. Johnson is a smart pick-up off the wire, as he has immense talent, and the Blue Jackets are playing well in their last four games. They have three wins and have scored 18 goals in those victories. Anyone with skill who rides shotgun with Adam Fantilli is an important fantasy option.
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Blue Jackets' Kent Johnson: Activated from injured reserve
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The Blue Jackets activated Johnson (shoulder) from injured reserve Thursday.
Johnson was off to a great start with two goals and three assists in his first four games before a shoulder injury knocked him out of the lineup, forcing him to miss 14 games. Johnson, who was selected fifth overall in 2021, is expected to play alongside Adam Fantilli and James van Riemsdyk on the second line Thursday when Columbus hosts Tampa Bay. He should also see power-play time on the second unit as he is eased back into the lineup.
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Blue Jackets' Kent Johnson: Likely available for Thursday
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Johnson is likely to return for Thursday's game against Tampa Bay, per Aaron Portzline of The Athletic.
Johnson practiced alongside Adam Fantilli and James van Riemsdyk on Wednesday, so those are his projected linemates if he does play Thursday. The 22-year-old Johnson hasn't been in the lineup since Oct. 17 against the Sabres. He was red hot before the injury, starting the campaign with two goals and five points across four appearances.
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Blue Jackets' Kent Johnson: At practice Thursday
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Johnson (shoulder) is practicing Thursday for the first time since he was injured Oct. 17, per Aaron Portzline of The Athletic.
Johnson was off to a fast start with two goals and five points in four games before he was hurt. The 22-year-old was selected fifth overall in 2021 and had a tough 2023-24 campaign in which he had six goals and 16 points in only 42 regular-season games. He also spent time at AHL Cleveland last season -- recording five goals and 10 assists in 10 appearances -- after playing 79 regular-season games as a 19-year-old with the Blue Jackets. Look for Johnson to have a top-six role upon his return.
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Blue Jackets' Kent Johnson: Moves to IR
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Johnson (shoulder) was placed on injured reserve Sunday, per the NHL media site.
Johnson hasn't played since Oct. 17, and his return to the lineup isn't imminent. The move to IR will open a potential roster spot for Columbus. The 22-year-old forward has two goals, three assists and eight shots on net through four appearances this season.
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Blue Jackets' Kent Johnson: Skating Monday
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Johnson (shoulder) skated after Columbus' main practice Monday, Jeff Svoboda of the Blue Jackets' official site reports.
Johnson is not expected back until late November due to his long-term shoulder injury, but it certainly could have been longer had he required surgery. While it's a step in the right direction, fantasy managers probably shouldn't get too excited about the imminent return of the 22-year-old center until he takes contact in a full practice.
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Blue Jackets' Kent Johnson: Surgery not needed
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Per Aaron Portzline of The Athletic, Johnson will not require surgery on his left shoulder, general manager Don Waddell said Friday.
Johnson was injured Oct. 17 versus the Sabres. The Blue Jackets' medical staff thinks that the injury can be treated with rehab but that Johnson will be out indefinitely. Johnson was off to a hot start with two goals and five points in four games, showing why he was selected fifth overall in the 2021 Draft.
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Blue Jackets' Kent Johnson: Not a short-term injury
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Per Aaron Portzline of The Athletic, Johnson (upper body) will not be out "short term," according to coach Dean Evason.
After an injury-shortened 2023-24 in which the 21-year-old forward had six goals and 10 assists in 42 regular-season appearances, Johnson started the 2024-25 campaign with a bang, scoring twice and adding three assists in four games. Johnson's absence will sting because the Columbus lineup has already been depleted by injuries this season.
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Blue Jackets' Kent Johnson: Scores, assists in loss to Wild
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Johnson notched a goal and a power-play assist in Thursday's 3-2 loss to the Wild.
Johnson was the Blue Jackets' best player in this game and was directly involved in the team's two goals, slotting a wrist shot past Filip Gustavsson in the early stages of the second period and then setting up Zach Werenski's power-play goal in the third. Johnson notched 16 points in 42 contests during the 2023-24 campaign, and it wouldn't be surprising to see the 21-year-old forward surpass that tally in 2024-25 as long as he remains healthy.
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Blue Jackets' Kent Johnson: Good to go ahead of 2024-25
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Johnson is fully healthy after undergoing shoulder surgery in March, per Jeff Svoboda of the Blue Jackets' official site
Johnson will be ready for the start of training camp after recovering from shoulder surgery. The fifth overall selection of the 2021 NHL Draft looks to be a fixture in the top-six forward group for Columbus going forward. The 21-year-old notched 16 points in 42 contests before incurring his shoulder injury last season. Overall in his three-year NHL career, Johnson has 59 points in 130 games.
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Blue Jackets' Kent Johnson: Inks three-year deal
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Johnson (shoulder) signed a three-year, $5.4 million contract with the Blue Jackets on Saturday.
Johnson was a restricted free agent this summer after finishing his entry-level contract. He had six goals and 16 points in 42 appearances with Columbus in 2023-24. Johnson didn't play past Feb. 28 due to a torn labrum that resulted in surgery. His initial recovery timetable of six months should make him available for the start of training camp, assuming there are no setbacks.
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Blue Jackets' Kent Johnson: Done for the year
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Johnson will undergo surgery for a torn labrum and miss the rest of the 2023-24 season, Jeff Svoboda of the Blue Jackets' official site reports.
Johnson tallied just six goals and 16 points through 42 NHL games this season. He also racked up 15 points during a 10-game stint with AHL Cleveland. The 21-year-old will spend the offseason recovering and an update on his status for training camp should be available later in the summer.
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Blue Jackets' Kent Johnson: Sidelined indefinitely
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Johnson will be out indefinitely with an upper-body injury, the Blue Jackets announced Thursday.
The club didn't provide a significant update on Johnson's timeline but the fact that it used the term indefinitely certainly doesn't suggest he's facing a short-term absence. The 21-year-old center is currently mired in a 19-game goal drought during which he's managed just three assists and 29 shots while averaging 13:35 of ice time. Unless Alexandre Texier (illness) is ready to play, the Jackets will presumably need to recall a forward from AHL Cleveland ahead of Thursday's clash with Carolina.
