Port Moody’s Kent Johnson will miss the rest of the National Hockey League season after he injured his shoulder in a game against the New York Rangers Feb. 28.
Johnson, in his second full season with the Columbus Blue Jackets, is scheduled to undergo surgery later this week for a torn labrum in his left shoulder, according to a statement on the team’s website.
It’s been a season to forget for the 21-year-old forward who was the fifth overall pick in the 2021 NHL draft.
Johnson’s scored six goals and 10 assists in 42 games, but earlier in the season he was briefly demoted to the Blue Jacket’s minor league affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters.
It’s unclear what caused Johnson’s injury as he played 21 shifts against the Rangers and was on the ice when the game ended.
But according to Blue Jackets’ insider Jeff Svoboda who covers the team for nhl.com, he appeared to be in discomfort after taking the last faceoff of the game.
Johnson played for the BC Hockey League’s Trail Smoke Eaters before heading to the University of Michigan for two seasons.
He is in the final year of his three-year entry level contract with the Blue Jackets and is scheduled to become a restricted free agent this summer.
