Johnson, on his summer status | Los Angeles Kings Blog

Since today’s game won’t have any lasting impact on either team (although San Jose can clinch the President’s Trophy today), and because I still have a lot to post, I’ll continue with the stuff from yesterday and hopefully get it all out there today.

Here’s the stuff from Jack Johnson, talking about going into the summer as a restricted free agent. Johnson, by the way, is still taking classes at the University of Michigan, and will do so again this summer. He’s a junior right now…

—–

Question: There are some anxious fans out there, because technically you’re not under contract for next season. How are you approaching that? Would you like to get it done as soon as possible?

JOHNSON: “Well obviously it’s something that has to be talked about. We’ve done a lot of talking so far, and it’s something that I think is more up to the Kings than it is to me. I like playing here and I want to be here, but it’s more up to the guys upstairs than it is to me. I’m sure everything will work out for the best.”

Question: Kopitar and Brown signed long-term deals, and other guys prefer shorter deals. Do you have any preferences about that aspect of it?

JOHNSON: “Really, I haven’t thought a lot about it, to be honest with you. I’ll have to see what their thoughts are and see what their thoughts are. I’m sure once the season is over, we’ll start speaking a lot and I’m sure things will work out for the best.”

Dominic Lavoie

yikes! that didn’t sound too encouraging. Frolov sounds more interested in getting something done. at least he is working on his degree.

gotta assume any deal with him is going to be signed right on the eve of training camp. hopefully this doesn’t turn into a POS situation.
Marc Nathan

“for the best”… he said it twice. Fact is, of course it will work out “for the best.” It always does. Whether it’s “the best” for the Kings, or “the best” for Jack Johnson, or “the best” for the fans remains to be seen, but yes, JMFJ (Jack Minus Forty Johnson) it will work out “for the best.”

My guess… See ya next year.
Cricket

I might be reading too much into it, but it really sounds like he’s trying to avoid the Cammy/Sully debacles of trying to come up with what he thinks he’s worth vs. what the kings think he’s worth. He did say it’s more up to them.
variable

for what it’s worth…

flip a coin…again another interesting player insight…

maybe jj doesn’t want to reveal too much and he has been told or decided to keep his thoughts close to his jersey…

also…

this is in noooooo waaaaay anything negative to say about our man richie h….but rich did say in his latest question and answer forum that jj was a player that hasn’t really warmed up to him just yet and tends to go into a shell…

one more thing about frolov:

contract talks didn’t go so smoothly last time and fro was resigned on playing a season in russia…if my memory serves me correctly, fro went as far as having a contract in place with a russian team before he signed w/the kings almost overnight…

but to be fair to both players…jj and fro BOTH said it was up to management/d.l to make the offers…

remember…d.l….yr on notice after today…
t.m….you, too…

make the right call and re-sign both players…
AK47

We’re looking into this way too much. Jacko’s staying..
Duckhunter

I’m not getting a good vibe here. If I had to guess, I’d say he’s playing somewhere else next season. I don’t get the feel he wants to be here.

What range would any of you offer JJ?

At what price would you say no way, you’re crazy and move him along?

Just curious to find out what the majority of you would spend to keep him.

You can see the skill he possesses, but I have mixed feelings about him. I guess what I’m saying is, I wouldn’t break the bank to sign him.
variable

duckhunter…

i think jj is worth about $2.5-3mil per year…and not a dime more…even though the potential is there, he hasn’t done anything special to warrant any more…

if he wants more than $3mil a year, i say let him walk…we have too much up and coming blueliners to make way for…and i would rather spend the extra couple of dollars on securing frolov if i had the choice between the two…

we have so-so depth in the forward dept…we have excellent depth at the blueline…if it was the other way around, i would probably say the same thing about fro…but it isn’t and, as much as i like jj, he’s just not above $3mil a year…

i’d like him to sign a 3 or 4 year deal at around $2.5 to 2.8 per/avg…
gb

I have the sense that the kings really like drewiske he’s composed and is getting alot of time with doughty, which could make johnston expendable and a valuable asset to offer in a trade.
number 6

You guys, this is difficult for me because I don’t like to say something definitive when I don’t Know. Well I don’t know. But I will say this, the feeling I get isn’t great. I remember distinctly reading Mark Teixera’s comments when asked how he felt about the Angels. I immediately said, OK, he’s gone. I was proved right about that. Now of course JJ is a very different person, but I can’t help but wonder how complicated his situation will be because he didn’t play much this year.

I feel that he may be expecting a contract based on his potential (see Cammy after one 30 goal season) whereas DL would definitely be figuring in what all you guys are saying, which is essentially that he doesn’t want to pay him based on “potential”. That may or may not create a problem. If it does, then it may well be bye bye JJ. IF (and I repeat IF) that were to happen it makes me more concerned about this exodus of players out of LA. Look at Detroit. How often does that happen there, or in Boston, or in SJ? I don’t feel good about that (granted it hasn’t happened yet w JJ).
BTW for all you guys projecting how great it was gonna be to maybe have Franzen on left wing, afraid not.
kingsince67

Greedy, too often injured and it is all about me…has been since Carolina…ask Jim Rutherford…good bye JJ hello Drew Drewiske you made me forget JJ in about 2 shifts….
Derek Bargaehr

Maybe I didn’t get to see enough hockey this year, but once Johnson got off the IR, he was slow coming out. Since then, he’s been a solid player. Probably not the impact D-guy they wanted him to be, but is that him shaking the rust off, or is it just indicative of future performance?

I’m always terrified that we’ll trade a guy like this away, only to have him bloom the next season on someone else’s team.
Mudfish

I’ve been a JMFJ fan since his Michigan days and was so excited to see him traded to the Kings.

It’s tough to say though since he was injured for most of the season. Look how long it took Handzus to come back from a serious injury.

I’m chalking his bad plus/minus to a little rust from injury and having to play most of his time with Gauthier. If you watched the games closely…many times it was Goat’s guy that ended up scoring.

JMFJ isn’t going to be a Doughty type offensive player. But he’s got a great shot, wicked sick hands as seen in the shootout and when he leaves a forechecker looking for his jock. I think he’s a great compliment to the guys we have as he adds the toughness and big hit factor which keeps the other teams best guys on their toes.

Scoring / Playmaking with Doughty, Quincey & Hickey.
Grit / Physical Punishment / Scoring with JMFJ
Shutdown / Grit / Stay at home with Greene, Drewske & Tuebert.

Sounds like a winning mix to me.

But I think I’ll wait until he’s signed to replace the Blake #4 on my jersey with Johnson’s #3…
http://www.value-magazine.org p90x workout

I really like p90x and this blog has a lot of great ideas for my own personal site, thank you!