Jackets eager for rematch with ex-teammate Johnson
PITTSBURGH — For the previous seven years, Jack Johnson was a member of the Blue Jackets defensive corps.
Saturday night at PPG Paints Arena, he was the cover boy for the Penguins’ game program. After signing a five-year, $16.25 million contract as a free agent last summer, the longtime Blue Jacket got his first regularseason rematch against his former team. They, in turn, got their first look at a player whose comments upon leaving the organization incensed Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella into a defensive, expletive-laden summertime interview with The Athletic.
Johnson was not made available for interviews before Saturday night’s game. Tortorella wasn’t interested in discussing the topic, replying to a question with, “I’m just worried about this game here tonight.”
Blue Jackets captain Nick Foligno, whose entire tenure with the team overlapped with Johnson until this season, said he was looking forward to seeing his former teammate. The two hadn’t spoken since Johnson’s comments, Foligno said, but he understood why Tortorella responded in the manner he did.
“I took it as, here’s a guy defending his team,” Foligno said. “That’s how much he cares about this group. I just think it was Jack making comments and probably excited about his new opportunity. We don’t take anything The Blue Jackets’ Lukas Sedlak, right, collides with Penguins defenseman Jack Johnson in the first period on Saturday night in Pittsburgh. It was the first time the Jackets had faced Johnson, who signed with the Penguins as a free agent after seven years with Columbus.
personally.”
Johnson has played in all 21 games for the Penguins this season. He has one goal and five assists with six penalty minutes and is tied for a teamlow minus-10 rating. Unlike when the Blue
Jackets played against Matt Calvert earlier this year, Foligno said the players know to keep their heads up.
“I’m sure he’ll be looking, just because he’s a competitor the way he plays,” Foligno said. “It’ll be fun to battle him in the corners and in front of the net and stuff, and hopefully we can get the best of him.”
Rivalry game?
The Blue Jackets and Penguins entered the game occupying first and last place, respectively, in the Metropolitan Division and separated by seven points. Although Tortorella said he wasn’t sure whether this classifies as a rivalry game, Foligno said he took in the rivalry game earlier in the day between Ohio State and Michigan.
“I just think it’s fun to watch other sports in their moments of glory, and that’s a big one that everyone talks about so you obviously tune in,” Foligno said. “I’m becoming an Ohio State fan, more by force than anything. I think it’s neat to have that relationship where you support what’s in your city and you’re proud of the way they played today.”
Admiration
Entering Saturday night’s game, Blue Jackets forward Cam Atkinson had scored a goal in six straight games, tying him for the second-longest streak in team history.
It caught the attention of linemate Pierre-Luc Dubois.
“I haven’t had a streak like that since I was in junior,” he said. “I had a good month of November. To have a streak like that in the NHL is for sure hard, but I’m really happy for him.”