The Blue Jackets announced Thursday that they’ve activated forward Kent Johnson from injured reserve. He’ll return to the lineup tonight against the Lightning as expected after missing 14 games with a shoulder injury.
Johnson, 22, was among many Columbus skaters limited by shoulder issues early in the season. Captain Boone Jenner sustained an injury after crashing into the boards in practice during training camp, while defenseman Erik Gudbranson hit IR after just three games.
He’s the only one of the three not to require surgery, though, meaning his return comes months ahead of when Gudbranson and Jenner are expected to be available. It’s excellent news for the 2021 fifth-overall pick, who had two goals and three assists in his first four outings before exiting the lineup.
It was an encouraging start for the winger, who’s coming off a disappointing sophomore campaign in 2023-24. After a 16-goal, 40-point rookie campaign, Johnson struggled with inconsistency early in the year before a labrum tear ended his season in February. He managed only six goals and 16 points in 42 appearances, totals he’s still set to crush in 2024-25 despite missing over a month with another shoulder issue.
Johnson will suit up as the team’s second-line right wing alongside Adam Fantilli and James van Riemsdyk in his return, Mark Scheig of The Hockey Writers relayed yesterday. He’s also expected to take reps on their first power-play unit with Kirill Marchenko, Sean Monahan, Dmitri Voronkov, and Zach Werenski. Kevin Labanc, who has 10 points in 14 games for the Jackets after inking a league-minimum contract on Oct. 5, will be a healthy scratch.
The Blue Jackets have two open roster spots after sending David Jiříček and Mikael Pyyhtia to the minors yesterday, so no corresponding transaction is necessary. Johnson is in the first season of a three-year, $5.4MM pact he signed last summer after becoming a restricted free agent.
Image courtesy of USA Today Sports.