A typical summer day in Vancouver for Kent Johnson and Jake Christiansen is like any other for a couple of high-level hockey players.
There’s training in the mornings, then the two will grab lunch and get in a skate together. There might be some golf worked into the schedule, or given their location on the north shore of one of the most picturesque areas of North America, the two Vancouver boys might “go to the river” together, as Christiansen says.
As it turns out, this is a relatively common activity for those in the Vancouver area. With a bounty of natural resources to enjoy, finding a natural watering hole – especially one fed by cool mountain streams – and relaxing is a good way to spend a warm summer day. And if you’re a hockey player who has just gone through a workout and a skate, it’s a pretty good, natural way to give the muscles what they need.
“It’s kind of on the mountain, it’s really cool,” Johnson said. “It’s kind of like a cold tub, but it’s nice. It’s outside. It’s pretty cool. We’ll hang out basically the whole day in the summer. It’s pretty fun. I love it.
“It’s really cold water. Lots of people go there, not just for recovery, but we also think it’s good for recovery. We go there, hang out. It’s nice.”
It’s not hard to imagine the two spending time together, as Johnson – the first-round pick who has turned heads for his skill throughout the entire NHL over the past two seasons – and Christiansen – an undrafted defenseman who nonetheless has skated in parts of the past three seasons with the Jackets – are close friends.
A couple of Vancouver boys – Johnson hails from the eastern suburb of Port Moody, while Christiansen is from West Vancouver, across the Burrard Inlet from downtown – they first met in junior hockey with Everett of the WHL, but they became closer over summer skates in their hometown.
Eventually, they’d both end up in the CBJ organization, with Christiansen signing with the Jackets in March 2020 after a dominant final season with the Silvertips when he scored 22 times in 38 games. Johnson is a couple years younger and ended up being the fifth overall pick in the 2021 draft by the Blue Jackets after rising up draft boards during his junior and college careers.
The two just missed each other on the active roster in 2022 when Johnson first signed with the Blue Jackets, but the highly touted forward was with the squad all of last year as Christiansen skated in 24 games with Columbus. This year, Johnson spent part of the beginning of the season with AHL Cleveland, so the two got to play together there, but Christiansen’s recall on Dec. 30 allowed the friends to skate together for three recent games with the Jackets.
“It’s super cool,” Christiansen said. “Obviously you skate together in the summer and you talk about playing in the NHL and hopefully playing together in the NHL. Getting able to play with him is super cool.”
Christiansen was optioned back to Cleveland on Friday ahead of the activation of Adam Boqvist from injured reserve, a sign that his biggest issue when it comes to sticking with the Blue Jackets is simply the depth the Jackets have on the blue line.
He’s continued to impress at the AHL level, as Christiansen, 24, has a 6-18-24 line in 28 games this year with the Monsters to place seventh among defensemen at that level in both goals in points. Last year, Christiansen’s 11 goals tied for eighth in the AHL among blueliners, and in 2021-22, his 13 tallies tied for the league lead while his 45 points placed fourth.
There’s little doubt about Christiansen’s offensive abilities, but Blue Jackets have noted his attention to detail this season on the defensive end has impressed team scouts – not that Johnson needed any convincing.
“I think a lot of the guys in Van where I'm from, we work out and say the same thing – this guy is an NHLer,” Johnson said. “He just needs his shot. It’s good to see. I think he’s gonna have a great career.”
“I think I’ve developed a ton in all facets of my game,” Christiansen added. “I don’t think you can skip a step. Through the years, I’ve been working on a lot of different things and gotten better at a lot of things.”
At some point, it seems like the two will be back on NHL ice together, and when they do, there is plenty for them to talk about, from their summer roller hockey exploits to their golf games – Christiansen said he’s better – to their love of sports.
While Christiansen said he is more likely to watch all sports, Johnson seems more tuned in to the sport of hockey. And it's their mutual love of the game that has allowed the two Western Canada boys to become friends and make it all the way to the top.
“I think that’s how we got close, just loving the game and talking about the game and sharing that passion,” Christiansen said. “That’s kind of brought us together.”
