Jack Johnson

[shveik]

I do not know if it was a smart decision, but I admire JJ for it. He has the spine to have his own set of values, and making the decisions at this young age. We can opine all we want about how impotrant it is to have a million dollars, or a Stanley Cup ring, but realistically we won't ever get a chance at either. He had the money in front of his nose, and he had the character to turn around and say that there will be time for that later.

 

[AgentNaslund*]

Except get better, get an education, and enjoy your college life. The kid is only 19, give him a break.

there is no course in college that when finishing, will get you a 1 million dollar pay cheque.

I agree with the guy. Jack Johnson just lost 800 000 staying 1 more year in college. T

 

[ItalicSquirrel]

As has been said before - he wasn't ready.

I had the opportunity to follow him extensively at Michigan, and the kid, frankly, looked like a freshman. A freshman with lots of talent, but a freshman nonetheless. Certainly not as mature as Sidney Crosby or other kids his age.

As recently as the last week of the season, Johnson was sometimes liable on the defensive end, looking too much for the bone-crushing hit and not enough for the smart, defensive play. One of his overpersuits of the body resulted in an OT loss for the Wolverines in their last series of the season (I forget if it was the Friday or Saturday night game... I believe it was Saturday.)

Now, obviously, Carolina wanted him there, but I think it would have been more of a depth move and a move to get him experience on a playoff team for next year. He certainly isn't more capable at this point than any of the Carolina defensive regulars. Yeah, he's got all the talent in the world, but he's just not exhibiting the maturity required to keep a level head in a Stanley Cup run.

His NCAA coach, Red Berenson, more than likely sat him down and told him this, and usually when Red talks, players listen. They've got a great shot to make a deep NCAA run this year (last year they had 11 freshman, including Johnson, Edmonton's Andrew Cogliano, and soon-to-be draftees Mark Mitera and Billy Sauer), and with another year, Johnson will be able to learn the discipline he's going to need to not spend the majority of his NHL stint in the penalty box (like he did through much of this season at Michigan.)

So yeah, if Carolina wins, he doesn't have his name on the cup, but I don't believe he would have contributed heavily anyway (and how much pride do you get from being at the end of the bench... and only for the playoffs?)

 

[a8thegreat]

My only thought is if he wants a National championship so bad he probally should have gone to a WCHA school hehe.

 

[nuckfan insk]

and in 20 years if he hasnt won a cup would he look back at this with regret ?

 

[francklem]

he has made a decision that force respect ,he s said he would stay and stayed !

Just for that he deserve respect + he s getting an education .

I hope it s showing what s the word respect mean to some people that only see the money in his situation

 

[Team_Spirit]

As has been said before - he wasn't ready.

I had the opportunity to follow him extensively at Michigan, and the kid, frankly, looked like a freshman. A freshman with lots of talent, but a freshman nonetheless. Certainly not as mature as Sidney Crosby or other kids his age.

As recently as the last week of the season, Johnson was sometimes liable on the defensive end, looking too much for the bone-crushing hit and not enough for the smart, defensive play. One of his overpersuits of the body resulted in an OT loss for the Wolverines in their last series of the season (I forget if it was the Friday or Saturday night game... I believe it was Saturday.)

Now, obviously, Carolina wanted him there, but I think it would have been more of a depth move and a move to get him experience on a playoff team for next year. He certainly isn't more capable at this point than any of the Carolina defensive regulars. Yeah, he's got all the talent in the world, but he's just not exhibiting the maturity required to keep a level head in a Stanley Cup run.

His NCAA coach, Red Berenson, more than likely sat him down and told him this, and usually when Red talks, players listen. They've got a great shot to make a deep NCAA run this year (last year they had 11 freshman, including Johnson, Edmonton's Andrew Cogliano, and soon-to-be draftees Mark Mitera and Billy Sauer), and with another year, Johnson will be able to learn the discipline he's going to need to not spend the majority of his NHL stint in the penalty box (like he did through much of this season at Michigan.)

So yeah, if Carolina wins, he doesn't have his name on the cup, but I don't believe he would have contributed heavily anyway (and how much pride do you get from being at the end of the bench... and only for the playoffs?)

Good post , it seem JJ need to mature a lot .. i dindn't like his stupid moves at the WJC's , total lack of self-control and respect for the game .

 

[A Good Flying Bird*]

There's nothing that you can do in college that you can't do with a million dollars and your name on the Cup.

Johnson is a fool.

You can't live life on campus as a university student.

People love to rip people they know nothing about.

In other sports, fans whine about how players leave college to early. They're all about the money, people cry. What ever happened to loyalty, people shout.


And we get a kid who wants to spend one more year in college, so he's called a fool.

Weird world we live in.

 

[A Good Flying Bird*]

Good post , it seem JJ need to mature a lot .. i dindn't like his stupid moves at the WJC's , total lack of self-control and respect for the game .

Uh, Sydney Crosby is a playmaking forward.
jack Johnson is a bonecrunching defenseman who hits like a linebacker.

When Crosby is immature, he cries to the refs or complains to the media.
When Johnson is immature, he takes someone's head off.

Johnson isn't really any more immature than Crosby. But he plays a position (defense) that is unkind to young hockey players. He also plays with a coveted ferocity that too often crosses the line.

But I've met him and talked with him a few times. He's got a good head on his shoulders. He's not the devil, as some particularly whiny Canadian hockey fans believe.

He told me, two months before the draft, that he wanted to win four national championships at U of M. I said, "unless you get a big contract from the NHL, right?"
And he said, "No, I want to win four national championships at U of M."

He's a headstrong kid. So who knows?
But one thing may eyebrows ... If he's seriously considering 4 years at U of M, that means he can pick and choose where he'll play when he's done with school.

I doubt that he'll stay in the Collegiate ranks beyond the upcoming season.

 

[therealdeal]

Wow, he actually said he'd rather win a national championship than win a stanley cup?

I will be questioning his drive in the NHL big time.

 

[Randall Graves*]

If he grew up dreaming about a stanley cup like so many kids do..yes he made a mistake. With that said the Canes have a great chance at being cup contenders year in and year out so he'll have his chances.

they have a superstar center.
a potential superstar goalie.
and a potential superstar defensemen.

this is not even including guys like Ladd and Cole.

 

[ItalicSquirrel]

Good post , it seem JJ need to mature a lot .. i dindn't like his stupid moves at the WJC's , total lack of self-control and respect for the game .

Thanks muchly. I follow Michigan hockey very closely (cover it, in fact) and while yeah, I'm happy to see him back, I also strongly believe that it was the right decision for him to make. He wasn't going to contribute with Carolina and I'm sure he'd rather spend time with Michigan next year than with Carolina's AHL affiliate if they didn't think he was ready.

Uh, Sydney Crosby is a playmaking forward.
jack Johnson is a bonecrunching defenseman who hits like a linebacker.

When Crosby is immature, he cries to the refs or complains to the media.
When Johnson is immature, he takes someone's head off.

Johnson isn't really any more immature than Crosby. But he plays a position (defense) that is unkind to young hockey players. He also plays with a coveted ferocity that too often crosses the line.

No, I think Johnson's less mature than Crosby. Crosby's been getting all of this attention throughout, well, most of his LIFE. He's been playing with the media on his *** much more than Johnson has, so he knows how to deal with it. Yes, he's whiny at times on the ice, but Johnson does the exact same thing. When he got kicked out of a game earlier this year against Michigan State, he sat in the box, refusing to leave, while the ref told him that he was gone. He's been a part of three relatively large brawls, with one particular brawl finding him on top of an Alaska Fairbanks player trying to rip his helmet (full cage mind you) off of his head.

The kid's got a temper and he's liable to do something stupid. He likes to go for the hit over the play and he tends to sit in the box a lot. That's just about the last thing anyone in the playoffs needs.

Again, Wesley, Ward, Commodore, Wallin, Kaberle, and Hedican, as a top six, is pretty solid. A few games of Johnson's mental mistakes and he'd be a scratch if you've got that sort of back end.

 

[PMP5030]

As has been said before - he wasn't ready.

I had the opportunity to follow him extensively at Michigan, and the kid, frankly, looked like a freshman. A freshman with lots of talent, but a freshman nonetheless. Certainly not as mature as Sidney Crosby or other kids his age.

As recently as the last week of the season, Johnson was sometimes liable on the defensive end, looking too much for the bone-crushing hit and not enough for the smart, defensive play. One of his overpersuits of the body resulted in an OT loss for the Wolverines in their last series of the season (I forget if it was the Friday or Saturday night game... I believe it was Saturday.)

I follow Michigan closely and attended most of the games this year, and I agree 100% with everything you said. The game you refer to was the Saturday night game against Ferris State on Feb 25. I was there and like you said, he went for the big hit in OT that caused a 2-on-1 break for Ferris who scored the GWG off of the rush. This was a pattern with him, and he needs to learn when to lay off and stay in position rather than go for the hit all the time. Another year of NCAA hockey will do him good.

Sure he could have signed with the Hurricanes, but IMO he would have ended up sitting on the bench or in the stands for most of the playoff run. If he got burned by NCAA forwards last year (and he did, many times), what would NHL forwards do? He's not ready. Now, by this time next year, he should be.

 

[PMP5030]

I understand his commitment to his team, and commend him for it to a certain degree, but this is clearly a Lienart situation - he's going back to school because he doesn't want to grow up and it cost him.

Please. Lienhart came back for his senior year with his undergraduate degree basically finished, and took 1 class in the fall 2005 semester at USC (Ballroom Dancing). Jack Johnson is going to be a college SOPHOMORE taking a full course load. Not the same situation at all.

And it won't end up costing him. Carolina offered him the rookie max twice already. He's only going to get better and yet he won't be able to command any more money next summer.

 

[PMP5030]

Wow, he actually said he'd rather win a national championship than win a stanley cup?

I will be questioning his drive in the NHL big time.

How ridiculous. Have you seen him play? Johnson is one of the most competitive athletes around (sometimes to his own detriment). "Drive" is not a question, no matter who he's playing for.

 

[Defense_1st]

You can't live life on campus as a university student.

People love to rip people they know nothing about.

In other sports, fans whine about how players leave college to early. They're all about the money, people cry. What ever happened to loyalty, people shout.


And we get a kid who wants to spend one more year in college, so he's called a fool.

Weird world we live in.

good for him...

 

[Defense_1st]

Originally Posted by therealdeal
Wow, he actually said he'd rather win a national championship than win a stanley cup?

I will be questioning his drive in the NHL big time.

How ridiculous. Have you seen him play? Johnson is one of the most competitive athletes around (sometimes to his own detriment). "Drive" is not a question, no matter who he's playing for.

I agree this kid is a fierce competitor....

 

[txomisc]

Cute. It would be cuter if there were anything judgmental at all about my posts. But hey, cute is cute.

exactly what is not judgemental about judging a guy as a fool for staying in college?

 

[A Good Flying Bird*]

I will be questioning his drive in the NHL big time.

And nobody will care.

 

[Rand]

He's 19yrs old and an elite young prospect soon to be heading for an elite team that isn't likely to collapse in the near future. I'm sure from his point of view he'll have many chances to be a major part of a cup winner in the future so I doubt he's terribly disappointed.