Less than a week after being placed on Injured Reserve (IR) with a torn labrum in his left shoulder, Kent Johnson underwent successful surgery and is expected to make a full recovery in six months, the team announced Friday.
Johnson suffered the injury in a game against the New York Rangers on Feb. 28. According to The Hockey Writers’ Mark Scheig, he may have suffered the injury on the last faceoff of the game.
Johnson, the No. 5 overall pick in the 2021 NHL Entry Draft, was in his second full season with the club, scoring six goals and 10 assists for 16 points in 42 games. During the 2022-23 campaign, he scored 16 goals and 24 assists for 40 points in 79 games.
Before being drafted by the Blue Jackets, Johnson spent two seasons with the University of Michigan from 2020-22, scoring 17 goals and 47 assists for 64 points in 58 games. He represented Team Canada at the 2022 Winter Olympics, scoring a goal and four assists in five games. He also won a gold medal for Canada at the 2022 World Junior Championship.
The Blue Jackets are 22-31-10 with 54 points, tied for last with the Ottawa Senators in the Eastern Conference. Their next game is a Saturday matinee at home against the Nashville Predators.
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