Johnson eager to please, fit in with star teammates
There’s no shortage of questions for the Penguins this season — from goaltending to Derick Brassard and depth scoring to Kris Letang bouncing back — but good luck finding one that incites the masses more than trying to figure out whether the Johnson experiment will work.
Johnson, for his part, couldn’t be more excited. The smile is ear-to-ear, like a kid eager to throw on his back-to-school gear. From the practice facility to the surrounding area to team staffers and how he’s been treated thus far.
“I’m really excited about it,” Johnson said. “I’m coming to a team that’s been one of the top teams for a while now. You sit in the room here surrounded by great players. I just think on an everyday basis, in practice and games, I like being around great players. It helps elevate your own game individually.”
It’s easy to spitball and think about what might happen with Johnson. He spoke Wednesday about being comfortable on either side, given that he has played both throughout his career. Ditto for defense pairings. First through third, he’s cool. It seems like the Penguins could ask Johnson to scrub the showers,and he’d happily trot off with a bottle of cleanser in hand.
Perhaps it’s because of Johnson’snew teammates.
Los Angeles and Columbus house successful NHL franchises, among the best in the business, but Johnson never has been around offensive talent such as Crosby, Malkin or Phil Kessel. Johnson also has never had a defense partner such as Justin Schultz; the Penguins would like the two to click.
“There’s a lot of great players in this room,” Johnson said.
As Johnson said those words, he looked across the oval-shaped room to one stall in particular: Kessel’s.
“He’s a phenomenal talent,” Johnson said of Kessel. “He’s another guy I’m excited to play with. That guy scores goals. You can’t teach what he does. He just has a knack for putting the puck in the net.”
The first guy Johnson can’t wait to play with, of course, is Crosby, his former teammate at Shattuck-St. Mary’s and good friend. Crosby was in town last week, Johnson said, and the two got together to work out and catch up.
July 1, Crosby debated how much he influenced Johnson signing here, and Johnson offered his side of things Wednesday.
“He just called and said, ‘I’d like to try and sell you on Pittsburgh if you’re interested.’” Johnson explained. “That was it. I don’t know anything beyond that.”
Of playing with Crosby, Johnson offered this: “It’ll be a lot nicer playing with him than against him.”
The night of July 1, things went off the rails. Over comments made by Johnson and Rutherford, Blue Jackets coach John Tortorella went bonkers. He accused Johnson of lambasting the Blue Jackets’ team culture and had a separate, expletive-laden rant for Rutherford.
“I was very surprised by it,” Johnson said. “I haven’t thought about it since.” Why not? “It’s nothing to me,” Johnson said when pressed.
The vitriol directed at Johnson involved him praising the Penguins. “I’ve really been wanting to be a part of a winning culture, in a place where the expectations to win are as high as can be, and there’s a chance to win,” he said in his introductory news conference.
Wednesday, Johnson insisted he was simply talking about the Penguins, not trying to bury the Blue Jackets.
“I was paying a compliment to Pittsburgh,” Johnson said. “They’ve won two Stanley Cups in the past three years. It is a winning organization. I was expressing how excited I am to be here. Nothing more.”
A huge reason for Johnson’s excitement is Sergei Gonchar. Johnson remembers watching Gonchar while growing up and how excited he was to break into the NHL while Gonchar was there.
Working with Gonchar will be neat, Johnson said, and he realizes how much the defensive wizard likely can help him improve his game and fit into the Penguins’ team concept.
“I’ve heard a lot about what he’s done here,” Johnson said. “I’m sure there’s a lot I can learn from him. I’m excited to hear what he has to say and be out on the ice with him every day. That’s just another on the list of many bonuses of coming here.”
Nothing here is guaranteed. This might turn out to be a colossal disaster, and Rutherford could call it quits at the end of the season, his fastball velocity nowhere to be found. None of that, however, is terribly likely.
What has become obvious is that Johnson and the Penguins are beyond excited — you can debate whether they should or shouldn’t be — to watch this marriage work and for many more bonuses to come.
“I don’t think of myself as an old guy yet,” Johnson said. “I still think I have a lot to grow and a lot to improve on. I feel like I’m still getting started.”