As a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 NHL Draft is set to be one of the more distinctive drafts in recent history.
Because of the pandemic, hockey across the world was significantly altered with a number of prospects eligible for this year's draft not getting the chance to play a full season of hockey. As a result, it forced some prospects to find other leagues to play in to keep sharp ahead of the draft. Unfortunately for some prospects, they could not find enough suitable ice-time to enhance their draft status ahead of the two-day event on July 23 and 24.
The Canadian Hockey League was one of the leagues hardest hit by the COVID-19 pandemic, largely due to local and government restrictions not allowing games to be played. While the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League was able to get in a majority of its 2020-21 season, the Western Hockey League was only able to get in a small number of contests. However, the Ontario Hockey League was unable to get the season underway after having to push back its start multiple times.
Luckily for some prospects, especially in Europe or at the collegiate level, they were able to get in a full season or a good majority of their 2020-21 campaigns. This allowed these players to take advantage and get in more good work in front of scouts and teams around the NHL.
Unlike most drafts in the past, the 2021 draft class will likely not feature a clear-cut No. 1 prospect at the top of the group. The class may not have one prospect that stands out of the crowd, but many of the prospects eligible this year are on a track to potentially to be high-caliber players at the NHL level.
University of Michigan defenseman Owen Power has been regarded as the top defensive prospect in the 2021 NHL Draft, and has even garnered the respect as the best overall prospect atop the board. However, his teammate Matthew Beniers is also rising the ranks in this draft class, earning the praise as the top forward prospect, and also one of the best overall players in the 2021 draft class.
In the history of the NHL Draft, no college hockey program has ever had more than two players be selected in the first round. That is bound to change this year, as the Wolverines are potentially set to have three players get drafted in the top-10 of the 2021 NHL Draft.
Kent Johnson played his freshman season at Michigan this past year after a successful two-year stint in the British Columbia Hockey League with the Trail Smoke Eaters. In his time in the BCHL, Johnson quickly became one of the best playmakers in the league, leading the league with 41 goals and 101 points in just 52 games during the 2019-20 season. That performance was good enough to earn Johnson the Vern Dye Memorial Trophy as the BCHL's Most Valuable Player.
In his first season with the Wolverines, the 18-year-old quickly showed off his playmaking capabilities, scoring nine goals and adding 18 assists for 27 points in just 26 games. He became a top threat to Michigan's power play, and developed a dangerous offensive duo on the left wing with Beniers.
Michigan put up a great season in the Big Ten conference, but ended up coming just short of a conference title. Luckily for the Wolverines, they were able receive an at-large bid into the 2021 Frozen Four tournament. Unfortunately, the team never got the chance to play their opening round matchup with Minnesota Duluth after a number of positive COVID-19 test results forced them out of the tournament.
While the season came to an abrupt end for Johnson at Michigan this season, he showcased just enough to teams around the NHL that he is one of the flashiest, craftiest and most dangerous playmaking forwards available in the 2021 NHL Draft.
Here is what makes Johnson stand out as one of the top prospects of the 2021 draft class:
Offensive awareness:
Johnson is a hassle to try and defend in the offensive zone both with and without the puck.
The shifty forward is extremely good at what he does on the attack, whether it's passing, shooting, or just finding moving all around to find room to make a play. He's very aggressive on the puck, and is one player who will likely find himself on the highlight reel more than once with his deception.
What will make Johnson a nice asset in the offensive zone is his versatility, having the ability to come in and play center or move over to the left wing. In the BCHL, Johnson led his team down the middle of the ice, but with Michigan he was mainly utilized as a winger. However, he's more than capable of jumping in wherever his name is being called.
Meanwhile, on the power play, Michigan was able to plug him in anywhere with great success. He could play along either side of the ice, he was able to to be dangerous in the high-slot, while also being able to swing back to the point if necessary.
The young forward is very crafty with the puck on his stick, capable of beating most any player that dares to defend him with his speed and vision. Johnson is good with the puck in-tight and in small places, and has the ability to either go through or around a defending player to get the puck to the net and make a play. He can drive play from his left wing position, or drive the action down the middle on the offensive rush.
Without the puck, Johnson is all over the offensive zone, eluding defenders as he looks for the openings to set himself up for the puck. He sees the ice well to get to those open areas, while also being deceptive in order to slide in without the opposition picking up on his presence.
Shooting:
Johnson may not have the best shot of this draft class, but he is capable of scoring his goals in any way possible.
What helps Johnson be so deceptive with his shot is his quick release, as he wastes little time to get the stick off the puck if he's going for the net. The forward also possess very good patience, adding to his deceptive nature when shooting on goal.
Johnson is most dangerous with his wrist shot, especially coming from the left wing at even strength or the man advantage. However, Johnson has a pretty good snap shot to his repertoire, and can also blast away with a strong slap shot when the chance presents itself. In addition, his backhand gets up in a hurry, whether in-tight around the net or on the rush.
Not to mention, Johnson has exceptional hand-eye coordination with the ability to bat-down a puck or get a piece of a shot as it heads to the net.
Passing:
While Johnson has a very good shot, his passing skills are even better, thanks to his gifted vision on the attack.
It sometimes feels like Johnson has eyes in the front and back of his head with the passes he makes. One minute he's making a sharp tape-to-tape passes across the ice, and the next he's backhanding a flashy no-look pass from the corner to one of his teammates.
Like his patience has helped him become a deceptive shooter, goaltenders are often left guessing as to what Johnson will do, especially when he's moving the puck around. That ability to slow the game down and be patient has allowed for some brilliant passing plays that have often resulted with the puck in the back of the net.
And while patience is a big asset to Johnson in the offensive end, his passing is also very effective on the fly, whether it is those quick passes in the offensive end or the movement of the puck on the fly in the transition game.
Skating:
While Beniers is an active skater at the 200-foot level, Johnson does his best work when the puck is heading into the offensive end.
While Johnson may not carry the puck in and be that zone entry carrier as much as Beniers, he has the capabilities of controlling the pace of the offense with the puck in his possession. Often times, Johnson has that "go-go-go" mentality to get the puck into the offensive zone as quickly as he can and sustain zone time that way. However, he can also use that patience he shows as a passer and shooter to let the play set itself up before he makes his next decision with the puck.
As mentioned before, Johnson's shiftiness as a skater lets him dictate how he's going to beat a defending player in the offensive end. He can blow by the defender using his speed to the outside, or he can use his puck skills to put it through the player and create those highlight reel plays.
His relentlessness on and away from the puck also makes him such an effective skater with that ability to find open space on offense and make a play.
Physicality:
This is an area of Johnson's game that will need some work in the next year or two as he grows into his body.
Johnson stands at 6-foot-1, but currently weighs just shy of 170 pounds. If he wants to be able to transition well from the college ranks to the world of professional hockey, he will need to add some more strength and muscle to his frame.
With that being said, his strength on the puck has actually shown to be quite good. He uses his frame to protect the puck well at both ends of the ice, and can take advantage of his size and strength in front of the net in puck battles.
Where Johnson will need to show that growth is in his positioning battles, especially since he will likely face more challenges in the offensive zone once he makes the jump to the NHL or AHL.
Defense:
While Johnson is not known as much of a defensive player, he is responsible enough to be able to hold his own in front of his own goaltender.
When the puck is in his own end, Johnson does a nice job of taking away passing lanes, using his body well to get low and force the opposition to make another play. He is also aggressive on the forecheck, especially when the puck finds its way beyond the hashmarks to the point.
Johnson is also good defensively with his stick, being able to stick check and knock down pucks to either break up a pass or put pressure on the opposition. Sometimes, though, he tends to rely on his stick defensively too much instead of trying to stick with his player using his speed and footwork.
As mentioned above, Johnson will also need to step up his physical game while working in the defensive zone. He will need to add some weight and muscle in order to be more effective in puck battles in his own end, while also becoming more willing to engage in those tough puck battles.
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Unlike Power or Beniers, Johnson is definitely better off continuing his college career at Michigan after the draft to continue to improve all areas of his game. The more he can perfect his game in Ann Arbor before making the jump to the pros, the more well-suited he will be.
Not only will Johnson be looked at as an offensive leader once again for a stacked Wolverines team going into the 2021-22 season, he's also likely to get a call for the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship next December when the tournament returns to Edmonton and Red Deer, Alberta.
While it may be a few more years before Johnson truly makes an impact at the NHL level on a full-time basis, there's certainly high aspirations for him to become one of the best offensive playmakers to come out of the 2021 NHL Draft.
***Photo: Michigan Photography