The stretch run of this Blue Jackets season looks set to become significantly more exciting. The team announced that they have signed top prospect Kent Johnson to a three-year entry-level contract. Johnson is expected to join the team on Monday and is expected to make his NHL debut in the team’s Wednesday contest against the Montreal Canadiens, according to Aaron Portzline of The Athletic.
Johnson, 19, was the fifth overall selection in the 2021 draft, coming off of a freshman season at the University of Michigan where he posted 27 points in 26 games. Johnson is a dazzling playmaker who has become one of the most consistently creative players outside of the NHL this season. In his sophomore season at Michigan, which recently ended in an overtime loss to the University of Denver, Johnson improved his production, posting 37 points in 32 games. Johnson has experience at both winger and center, so while he has been utilized more as a winger it will be interesting to see how Columbus coach Brad Larsen chooses to deploy him.
Additionally, the unique package of skills Johnson brings to the game caught the attention of Hockey Canada’s Olympic selectors, and Johnson represented his country at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, where he collected five points in four games. Johnson won’t turn 20 until October, but if his skill and playmaking ability at the college level (and his brief showing at the Olympics) is any indication, he should make the Blue Jackets’ on-ice product a lot more exciting sooner rather than later.