NHL Draft Prospect Profile: Kent Johnson

Sabres.com is profiling some of the top available prospects in the days leading up to the 2021 NHL Draft, which begins with Round 1 on Friday, July 23 at 8 p.m. The Sabres hold the No. 1 pick.
Kent Johnson, C / LW - University of Michigan (Big Ten)6-foot-1, 167 pounds2020-21: 26 GP, 9 G, 18 A, 27 P

We already profiled one University of Michigan forward in Matthew Beniers, regarded as arguably the best two-way centerman in the draft. While Beniers stands out for his competitiveness at both ends, his teammate Johnson is touted for his high skill level.
Check out some examples of his ability with the puck in the tweets below:

Johnson, like Beniers, was named to the Big Ten's All-Rookie Team after scoring 27 points in 26 games as a freshman at Michigan. He was named Most Valuable Player in the BCHL in 2019-20 after scoring 101 points in 52 games.

What they're saying

An anonymous evaluator to NHL.com on why they would select Johnson over fellow forward Dylan Guenther:
"I feel that his skill level is too high to pass over. He has the potential to be an electrifying, franchise player. There are a lot of things he does on the ice that are exceptional. His puck skill game, playmaking abilities are excellent. I see a lot of Patrick Kane when I see him play."
Hockey Sense's Chris Peters on his evaluation of Johnson:
"He's all about skill. I mean, he's one of the most entertaining players in this draft. He's a magician with the puck on his stick. … The skating isn't necessarily as high-end. I think that's one of the things that holds him back. But you look at the way that he plays, he has the puck on his stick an awful lot. He makes a lot of plays. A really good passer. He's kind of a pass-shot threat as well. You never quite know what he's gonna do."

What he's saying

On which NHL players he tries to emulate:
"I love watching (Patrick) Kane and (Elias) Pettersson. ... I think both those guys are really smart players and there's just little subtle plays. Like, I know for Kane he's really good at delaying when he enters the zone and stopping up and pulling D-men to him and then finding a late guy or finding open guys. I love watching both of them on the power play, especially Pettersson."