Fan In Van

Johnson’s absence will hurt

You’d think losing a centre who has scored just one goal and three points in 22 games thus far is easily replaceable.

Not Ryan Johnson.

No, because let’s be honest here; Ryan Johnson wasn’t brought along for the ride this season to score goals, dish out bone-crunching hits and set up the Sedin twins on the powerplay. That’s simply not the type of game the Thunder Bay native plays.

Johnson’s game is undervalued on a Canucks team that currently boasts ten players with ten or more points (One of only four teams in the NHL who can claim that feat). If the NHL had continued to count the blocked shots statistic, there’s no questioning the Canucks’ fourth-line centre would definitely be in the top ten. Furthermore, Johnson’s ability to kill penalties goes unnoticed when much of the spotlight has been given to Alex Burrows and his two shorthanded markers this season.

A lot of critics raised eyebrows when rookie general manager Mike Gillis went out and purchased Johnson’s services to the tune of 2.3M over 2 years. After all, Johnson’s best point totals in a season was 21, and that was seven seasons ago. Once again, however, Johnson’s knack for killing penalties, win key faceoffs and block shots make him an invaluable asset to a Canuck lineup where those attributes are few and far between among forwards.

Johnson is best suited for critical moments in a game. Much like defenceman Willie Mitchell, he’s the type of player you want out on the ice when you’re defending a one goal lead with a minute left in the game. He has a tireless work ethic and gets into shooting lanes and can block shots fearlessly. He plays with such recklessness to his well-being that he has to wear custom-made shin pads to protect himself.

Now that Johnson will be out three to five weeks with a fractured hand and fractured foot (Yes, both from blocking shots), the Canucks’ penalty killing is sure to take a hit unless someone on the roster can step up their game. And while I’m sure guys like Taylor Pyatt and Jannik Hansen can hold down the fort, there’s no doubt in my mind that the loss of Ryan Johnson will be reverberated throughout the Canuck lineup.