Jack Johnson spent eight of his 19 seasons in the NHL playing for the Columbus Blue Jackets. He finished his career in Columbus in his second stint with the Jackets. Now, Jack Johnson’s future will bring him back to Columbus for at least another year, joining the Ohio State Women’s Ice Hockey program as an associate head coach.
Johnson finished his 19-year career with Columbus in 2024-25. The 2005 No. 3 overall draft pick ended his career with 342 points (77 goals, 265 assists) in 1228 games. He cracked the 40-point barrier as a defenseman twice in his career, once with Los Angeles (2010-11) and once with Columbus (2014-15).
He signed a PTO contract with the Minnesota Wild last year, but he did not make the team. Now Jack Johnson’s future after hockey looks brighter than ever.
Michigan Standout Back in Columbus
Johnson starred at the University of Michigan for two seasons before turning pro. The overwhelming majority of his career will be known for his time in Columbus. Michigan does not have a women’s ice hockey team.
The former University of Michigan standout won a Stanley Cup as a member of the Colorado Avalanche in 2021-22. That season, Johnson had only nine points in 74 games, though he finished plus-five overall and plus-one at five-on-five. Johnson’s offense began to wane around 2015-16. He abruptly dropped from a career 33.1 points-per-82 player through the first nine seasons of his career. In 2015-16, he had only 14 points in 60 games during a difficult season for Columbus.
Johnson Reinvents Himself After Columbus
His offensive game fell off massively in the final 10 seasons of his career. Jack Johnson’s future could have been in doubt at that point. He bounced around the NHL, playing for Pittsburgh, the New York Rangers, Colorado, Chicago and Columbus. His playing time was significantly reduced in that span, making him mostly a third-pair and an occasional penalty killer.
Johnson was a regular target of many in the analytics community, particularly after his time in Columbus ended in 2017-18. He was underwater on most possession statistics for the majority of his career, particularly the back half of his career.
Johnson, however, always seemed to find work. Coaches trusted him, even if the role was towards the bottom of the lineup. He played on playoff teams for Pittsburgh and Columbus five times in six seasons, appearing in 34 of his combined 57 playoff games between 2019 and 2024. Johnson played an important role for Colorado in their Stanley Cup Finals run, finishing as a net-positive player in goals, expected goals, scoring chances, shots, Corsi and Fenwick.
Jack Johnson’s Future Looks Intriguing
The 19-year-veteran is likely going to have myriad options as his playing days officially sunset. Johnson served for six months as a professional scout for the Vancouver Canucks. Perhaps his quick departure is a sign that he didn’t like scouting. It could also mean that scouting was always temporary until Johnson found a coaching job. It’s also plausible that Johnson is simply sampling the different elements of life after pro hockey, trying to determine where he best fits.
At Ohio State, Johnson has the opportunity to coach in one of the elite women’s programs in the NCAA. Ohio State has appeared in the Frozen Four in six consecutive tournaments. The Buckeyes reached the championship game in five consecutive tournaments, winning two of them.
Wherever Johnson’s future takes him, front office or behind the bench, it appears his wealth of experience will be a part of the hockey ecosystem.
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