Columbus Blue Jackets Player Profiles: Defense
As we end the offseason and begin the NHL Hockey Season, let’s take a look at the Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman we will be seeing all season.
Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports
John Joseph Louis Johnson III was born in Indiana, but grew up in Ann Arbor Michigan. At the age of 14, he committed to play at the University of Michigan, and is the youngest player to ever do so. He played with Sidney Crosby at Shatuck St. Mary’s Prep School, where his AAA midget team won the national championship. He was drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes in 2005 as the third overall draft pick. He played for the University of Michigan for two years, during which his rights were traded to the LA Kings.
Jack played his first NHL game in March of 2007 and scored his first goal in October of 2007. In 2010, he was named to the United States Olympic team and would become the first American-born hockey player to march in the Olympic opening ceremony.
In February of 2012, he was traded to the Columbus Blue Jackets along with a first round draft pick in exchange for J*ff C*rter. He was named as an alternate captain during the shortened 2012-13 NHL season. During the last season, Jack played in 44 games, scoring 5 goals and assisting with 14. To many, he was considered the leader of the team and his presence on Twitter is of the most interactive of the Columbus Blue Jackets.