A strong skater and puck mover with a powerful shot, Johnson has the skill set to play the role of power-play quarterback or triggerman. As one of the best all-around defensemen in the NHL, he regularly logs more than 23 minutes of ice time per game.
The Carolina Hurricanes selected the Indianapolis native with the No. 3 pick in the 2005 NHL Draft, but Johnson never played for the team. After spending the 2005-06 season at the University of Michigan, where he set school freshman records for points (32) and penalty minutes (149), Johnson was traded to the Los Angeles Kings on Sept. 29, 2006.
A strong skater and puck mover with a powerful shot, Johnson has the skill set to play the role of power-play quarterback or triggerman. As one of the best all-around defensemen in the NHL, he regularly logs more than 23 minutes of ice time per game.
The Carolina Hurricanes selected the Indianapolis native with the No. 3 pick in the 2005 NHL Draft, but Johnson never played for the team. After spending the 2005-06 season at the University of Michigan, where he set school freshman records for points (32) and penalty minutes (149), Johnson was traded to the Los Angeles Kings on Sept. 29, 2006.
Johnson played another season at Michigan, where he ranked first among college defensemen with 16 goals and was named the CCHA's Best Offensive Defenseman, before making NHL debut on March 29, 2007, against the Vancouver Canucks.
A year later, after logging an average 21:42 of ice time per game and producing 11 points (three goals) in 74 games with the Kings, Johnson was voted the team's Best Newcomer and Outstanding Defenseman.
Johnson ranked first or second among Kings defensemen in points in three of the next four years, including the 2011-12 season when he was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets on Feb. 23, 2012.
A prolific shootout scorer early in his career, Johnson continued to rank among his team's top two point-producing defensemen after moving to Columbus, where he led the team with seven points (three goals) during the 2013-14 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Johnson also consistently ranks among the Blue Jackets leading hitters and shot blockers, finishing first among Columbus defensemen in both hits (180) and blocks (127) in 2013-14, and first in blocks (131) in 2014-15.
NOTES & TRANSACTIONS
- CCHA All-Rookie Team (2006)
- CCHA First All-Star Team (2007)
- NCAA West First All-American Team (2007)
- Traded to Los Angeles by Carolina with Oleg Tverdovsky for Eric Belanger and Tim Gleason, September 29, 2006.
- Traded to Columbus by Los Angeles with Los Angeles' 1st round pick (Marko Dano) in 2013 NHL Draft for Jeff Carter, February 23, 2012.
