Used as a punchline to describe the Blue Jackets' defense over the past few seasons, Jack Johnson has drawn enough ire for multiple careers.
After overcoming off the ice issues and putting most of it to rest, Johnson has found his way on the ice in a big way. He had one of his best statistical seasons of his entire career.
He formed a great pair with David Savard making him a compelling piece in the summer ahead. How exactly does he fit into the long-term plans for the team?
What did we expect?
With how unsure the top pairings of the club were going into the season, it wouldn't have surprised anyone if Johnson assumed a role in the top pairing. During the 2015-16 season, Johnson played mostly with Savard and during their time, they were the number one pairing.
Seth Jones was acquired to move them down into a more respectable role. The hope was always going to be that Johnson could provide similar offense from the second pairing while not having too much pressure on him. That idea is easier said than done considering the shot differential issues that plagued Johnson in the past.
He needed to adjust to his role and finally placed into a role that suited him. If he was ever going to have an offensively impactful season with minimal defensive lapses, it was going to be with this set up. Coming out of the preseason, head coach John Tortorella was going to put him in a position to succeed.
What did we get?
The best season that Johnson has had since joining the Blue Jackets, period.
Johnson has been a player that has done whatever has been told of him his entire time with Columbus. If you wanted him on the penalty kill, you could put him there. If you wanted him on the power play, you could put him there. Top pairing, bottom pairing, it didn't really matter.
He scored five goals and helped with 18 assists for a total of 23 points. Those aren't his highest numbers but in the context of his role, they're fantastic.
Johnson didn't see much ice time on the power play if at all. He only scored one goal and put up one assist with the man advantage this season. That is the lowest output he has ever had on the power play since his second season in the league.
That may seem like a bad omen but it is in fact, good. Johnson was relied on as a defensive stalwart with Savard. Johnson started in the defensive zone more than any other time in his career. Scoring and putting up a solid shot differential despite all of that shows that their may be more tread left on Johnson's tires.
Speaking of shot differential, it wasn't the best of his career. In fact, it was right around his average the past couple of seasons. His Corsi For percentage relative illustrates that he still lags behind many of his teammates. Considering the improvement in percentages with the difference in role, his season can be defined as a rousing success.
Johnson showed up when it counted in the playoffs as well. Two points in the five games played isn't a lot. It does put him at the top of the playoff scoring leaderboard for the Blue Jackets.
| GP | G | A | P | +/- | PIM | PPG | PPP | SHG | SHP | GWG | OTG | S | S% | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| REGULAR SEASON | 82 | 5 | 18 | 23 | 23 | 32 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 116 | 4.3 |
| PLAYOFFS | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | -3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 15 | 6.7 |
Memorable Moment
Finding a moment that really stuck out was surprisingly hard for the steady Johnson. Normally flashy on the offensive end, he didn't do anything out of his mind this year on that end of the ice. He did help start the rally in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Playoffs against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
While a lucky bounce, it got the ball rolling in the game and made a big, big difference.
Lucky bounces are a part of the game. This bounce is made even sweeter since it went off Sidney Crosby. A forgettable playoff round for the team doesn't mean that this moment can't live on.
Contract Status
According to CapFriendly.com Johnson has one year left on his deal. The deal expires at the end of the 2017-18 season. He is currently being paid 4.357 million a year. He will be an unrestricted free agent at the end of his contract.
| GRADE | B+ |
