Johnson had a big year, but he wants to be among the best

There was a lot to like about Kent Johnson’s 2024-25 season.

The 22-year-old's third full NHL campaign was his best, as he set career highs in goals (24), assists (33) and points (57) in 68 games. He posted a new high-water mark in ice time, too, averaging 17:11 per game while earning the trust of head coach Dean Evason.

That meant the gifted young forward was a regular contributor on the penalty kill for the first time while holding his usual spot on the top power-play unit. In many ways, he showed why the Blue Jackets thought so highly of him when they selected him fifth overall in the 2021 draft.

It was a great bounce-back campaign from a sophomore season in which it seemed like everything that could go wrong did.

It was also just the start of what Johnson hopes to accomplish.

“It was definitely a good year for me in terms of growth and some good takeaways, and I think how I battled throughout the year even with injury and whatnot, just coming back and playing good right away,” Johnson said. “There’s a lot of good things for me to take away, but I think I have a lot more in this league and can get a lot better. There’s still a lot of areas to get better at.

“There’s a lot of way better players in the league than me right now, so I definitely have to close that gap.”

Indeed, if you want to get specific, 84 players finished this past season with more goals than Johnson, while 91 had more points. There’s plenty of room for improvement when it comes to moving into the upper echelons of forwards in the NHL, but a little context is important.

Johnson was one of 11 players age 22 or younger to reach the 24-goal mark, and just one of 13 in that age group to post at least 57 points. In other words, he’s on the short list of the top young offensive talents in the NHL, as the league is highlighting some of its top up-and-coming players this week on social media though its Young Stars campaign.

For those who know Johnson best, the breakout season was no surprise.

“There was no doubt in my mind that he was going to get to this level,” said Cole Sillinger, a fellow first-round pick in 2021. “For me, I think he still has more. I know that if you’re to ask him, he would agree with that. He’s just so skilled. He sees the ice so well, and he’s just such a smart hockey player that he takes every inch that he’s given. You put all of his tendencies together and his abilities, and you get what he’s doing now.

“I’m very fortunate to play with him and to see it firsthand. Our relationship’s growing off the ice, too, and we’re becoming closer buddies, so for him to have this success, it’s obviously a huge part to our team and where we’re at today, and he’s just going to keep going.”

Of course, Johnson has been known for his offensive bona fides for most of his life. While he was a bit undersized growing up, the skill was always there, built through his obsession with the game. He was a rink rat growing up, always trying to get better and watching such slight but creative stars as Patrick Kane and Johnny Gaudreau to pick up things to add to his game.

Part of a massive wave of NHL-caliber talent coming out of Vancouver like close friend Connor Bedard and No. 1 overall pick Macklin Celebrini, Johnson’s exploits were well-known in British Columbia, first at Burnaby Winter Club and then when he put up 41 goals and 101 points in 52 games in 2019-20 with Trail of the BCHL.

He was a highly touted forward known for Michigan goals, seeing-eye passes and a unique mind for the game when he got to the University of Michigan, where he posted 64 points in 58 games over two seasons before being signed by the Blue Jackets.

Johnson’s first full season was one of the best in team history for a rookie, as his 16 goals and 40 points placed fourth and third, respectively, at the time among CBJ first-year skaters. The next year was the opposite, though, as injuries and an AHL stint limited him to six goals and 16 points in 42 games.

A season ago, he both started and ended red-hot, beginning the season with a nine-game point streak (6-6-12) despite missing a month with a shoulder injury. Down the stretch, he topped a point per game in the last 10, posting a 2-9-11 line as the Blue Jackets tried to rally to make the postseason.

As the season went on, Johnson viewed everything he went through as a learning experience to help him become the player he wants to be. That was particularly true of the stretch run, as he hopes to be part of many pushes for the playoffs in future seasons.

“I think just how tight-checking it gets, and that’s probably the biggest thing,” he said about the hockey down the stretch. “Every mistake, every play is magnified. It just feels that much bigger. It’s exciting. (Being in the postseason battle) can help a lot. Obviously in the moment you’re more worried about getting into the playoffs, but I think it’s definitely really valuable for me.”

In the end, Johnson felt the same way about the entire CBJ season as he did about his personal campaign. Certainly, progress was made for both the player and squad, but the ultimate goals were not achieved. In the future, the aim is to make sure that doesn’t happen again.

“There was definitely a lot of growth and a lot of good takeaways to build on for our team,” Johnson said. “I think it’s exciting what we have building here. There’s definitely a lot of that, but also we didn’t make the playoffs. We want to be there, so it’s frustrating.”