Summer Spotlight: Johnson made a big splash in his rookie season

Number: 91

Birth date: Oct. 18, 2002 (age 20)

Birthplace:Port Moody, British Columbia

Height, Weight:6-0, 175

2022-23 Stats: 79 GP, 16-24-40

Contract: Signed through 2023-24 season (One year remaining until RFA status)

This summer, the Blue Jackets' public relations department had to do a fair amount of updating to the section of the media guide that lists the top rookie statistics in franchise history.

Not only did Kirill Marchenko set a new standard for goals for a first-year player, Kent Johnson is all over the record book now as well. The 2021 first-round pick now sits tied for fourth in team history among rookies in goals and third in points, trailing only such names as Nash, Dubois and Werenski.

Yet at the end of the season, Johnson said he felt like he could have done a little more on the stats front than he did in his first full NHL season.

"I think the biggest thing for me I know I have full control of is my attitude and my work ethic," Johnson said. "That I'm proud of. I think I met those. Maybe statistically or whatever, I felt like I wanted to do a bit better, but I'm not still not mad. I'm not really too worried about that. I try not to get too worked up in the numbers, but I definitely felt good and I'm pretty happy with where my game is at."

He'll have a chance to increase those numbers this upcoming season, and it wouldn't be a big surprise if he does. Johnson is one of the most skilled young players in the NHL, possessing elite, game-breaking skill with the puck on his stick and the vision and creativity to make something out of nothing. There's a reason the Blue Jackets chose him fifth overall in that draft out of the University of Michigan, and while Johnson is most noted for his playmaking abilities, his goal-scoring total a season ago shows there's reason to fear his shot as well.

If he takes another step forward this year, the Blue Jackets could have a potential All-Star forward on their hands.

"I definitely feel like I got better," he said of his rookie season. "I think most rookies, if you're working hard and have a good mind-set, you're probably going to get better. I feel like I've grown a lot during the season and have a lot more to go."

Top Moment of 2022-23

Could it be anything else? Johnson was the only NHL player to score a lacrosse-style "Michigan" goal a season ago, doing so March 24 in a home win over the New York Islanders. Johnson had tried the move a couple of times on the season but finally got it to go in that contest, as he won a puck battle in the right circle, went to the boards, found some space behind the net and then picked up the puck and flipped it over the shoulder of goalie Ilya Sorokin. It was unquestionably one of the top highlights of the CBJ season, and showed the tremendous skill Johnson has in his repertoire.

Johnson's Top Highlights

Kent Johnson's top goals of 2022-23](https://www.nhl.com/video/c-18579638)

Stat to Know

It's hard not to get excited about the combination of Johnson and Marchenko together. The two -- one a talented set-up artist, the other a lethal sniper -- spent much of the season working together after practice as the last players on the ice, and they clearly built a pretty quick bond. Together, they gave the Blue Jackets two rookies with at least 10 goals for just the third time in team history. Johnson was a scorer across the board, placing sixth among NHL rookies in goals, eighth in assists and fifth in points, while Marchenko's 21 goals put him third among league first-year players.

2023-24 Expectations

Johnson stepped on the accelerator last year, earning a full-time role with the Blue Jackets and posting one of the most productive rookie seasons in team history. How big of a jump does he make in his second season with the team? It would be fair to expect him to continue to grow offensively, and he should cement himself as a top-six winger this season. We'll see how much he's bulked up and if he can play a more physical game when he reports to camp, which would go a long way in determining if he sees any time in the middle of the ice as well. Wherever he plays, Johnson is expected to continue to grow into an offensive difference maker.