BRING ON THE WORLD - AGAIN!

April 23rd, 2012... Stars and Stripes! First off, I want to congratulate Team USA for winning the gold with a 7-0 win over Sweden at the World Under-18 Men's Championships. It's great any time we can come away with the gold and I'm proud of those boys. Now it's time for us to do our part. We leave on Saturday for the World Championships. We haven't faired too well in this tournament, but I know we can get the job done with the group of guys we have on this team so far. I'm excited for the opportunity to represent USA again and can't wait to hit the ice. Nothing compares to pulling on the stars and stripes and playing for your country. We have one reason we're going there and one goal we'll be happy with and that is to bring home the gold medal. I will try to keep you updated on how things are going, but I am focused on only one thing when I'm over there and that's winning. You can watch all of Team USA's games live on the NBC Sports Network, except May 5 vs. Canada will be tape delayed at 7:30pm EST. Also, the quarterfinals will air live, while the semifinal air time is still TBD. Also, the bronze medal game will be live, while the gold medal game will be tape delayed at 9pm EST.

Team USA 2012 IIHF Men's World Championship Schedule
May 4-20 • Helsinki, Finland and Stockholm, Sweden

Also, I want to wish good luck to all of the players up for the NFL Draft that starts Thursday, especially Mike Martin and Ryan Van Bergen. Go Blue! It's a big day for everyone involved and such a special time, so I wish everyone the best as they move one step closer to achieving their dreams.

THANK YOU FANS!

April 11th, 2012... Best Fans Ever! I just want to say thank you. I have the best fans in the world whether you're supporting me in the NHL, on Team USA, or at a charity event. The fact you support my career and allow me to play the game I love means the world to me and I thank all of you. I'm looking forward to next year and building on what we have started in Columbus, but until then, I am honored to be named to Team USA again for the World Championships in Helsinki, Finland and Stockholm, Sweden from May 4-20.

A-"MAIZE"-ING!

March 30th, 2012... One man's misforture is another man's gain. The old saying fits perfectly for the newest Columbus Blue Jackets and former Michigan Wolverines goaltender Shawn Hunwick. After Steve Mason took a puck off the helmet during our morning skate, the team asked me for my buddy's number. I didn't know why until they said they needed a back-up goalie for the game that night against Detroit and Hunwick was the closest one around. So after a few phone calls and a drive down US-23 in his old 1992 Ford Ranger, Hunwick suited up for us that night!

I can't tell you how cool it was to see the winged helmet skating around the ice since he was wearing all his Michigan gear. It's ironic that a puck to the head gave Hunwick this opportunity since his career almost ended the same way. After losing his scholarship to a D-3 school due to suffering a concussion from being struck in the head with a puck, he walked-on at Michigan after their third string goalie didn't show up to spring workouts.

A lot of perseverance, some luck, and taking advantage of opportunities allowed Hunwick to become hockey's version of Rudy, except he played and even carried the team when they needed him. He won tournament MVP to earn a berth to the tournament and keep Michigan's record streak going, lead the Wolverines to a national title game, and was named a Hobey Baker Award finalist. John U. Bacon wrote an article about him, effectively titled Michigan Hockey's Little Big Man.

Two Wolverines having fun in Columbus. Who would've thought!? That winged helmet on the ice was perfect!

The Columbus Blue Jackets also did a feature on Hunwick about him soaking it all in. It wasn't just a one-time gig though as Hunny was signed by the team for the rest of the season. Now we have three former U of M goalies in the NHL right now! Go Blue!

HOCKEY NIGHT IN CANADA!

March 21st, 2012... The Wild West! We just completed a Western Canada swing against Edmonton, Vancouver, and Calgary. I was lucky enough to appear on After Hours after our game against Vancouver. It was a fun experience to get interviewed on such a national stage, especially in Vancouver where I have so many great memories. My first World Junior Championship was there, my first NHL game was against the Canucks, my first goal was scored in Vancouver, and of course the 2010 Olympics!

Also, John Moore, Marc Methot, and I were at Brothers for the final installment of Bud Light’s Celebrity Bartender. Proceeds from tips, signed jerseys and raffle tickets benefitted the Columbus Blue Jackets Foundation. Enjoy the video from it below!

A HAPPY JACK-et!

March 13th, 2012... Controlled Chaos! Things have been going really well here in Columbus, I'm adjusting to my new surroundings, learning the tendencies of my defense partner Wiz, and loving the support from the fans and community. The team even had a fun promotion when the Kings came to town where people could switch their Carter jerseys to Johnson ones for free. You've got to love that and I'm flattered by anyone who has my jersey now! We had a 4-game winning streak recently including my game-winner against the Kings which was extra special. It was the first time I’ve gone on the ice and looked over and saw where I know every single guy on the other team really well. It was a little weird, but I have to thank my teammates for winning this one for me.

I celebrate my game-winning goal against the Kings and a fan gets a new name plate on his #7 jersey.

Anyway, things have been going great. This has been a really great change for me and I’m excited to come to the rink every day. These guys have a blast here every day and it’s carrying over to the ice. Guys are loose, they’re having fun and that’s what this game is supposed to be all about. In some places, it’s a job. You punch in and punch out. Here, it’s not. I get up in the morning and I’m excited to come here. I can't stop smiling!

A Wolverine in Buckeye Country!

March 3rd, 2012... Back In Blue! Well, it has been a week since I was traded and I truly feel like a part of the organization already. The day after the trade, Blue Jackets fans welcomed me with open arms and gave me a standing ovation at the game. It was such an honor to be embraced like that so fast. You never know what to expect when traded, but I'm adjusting to a new city, new teammates, and a whole new system and I'm thrilled to be here. I knew Coach Richards from before as he was Team USA's coach at the 2010 World Championships and I knew my new D partner Wiz from growing up in Michigan and running into him at the rink. It's always nice to see a few familiar faces when everything else is so new. I can certainly say I'm thankful Nash now wears the same jersey as me since it's a lot easier to play with him than against him.

My first game was in Pittsburgh and although we didn't win, we hung in there with a very good team. It's definitely important to prove to ourselves and our fans that we're making strides in the right direction. We were just a few bounces away from beating one of the top teams in the league, so things are going in a positive direction.



My home debut was against the Detroit Red Wings on Tuesday. Talk about a great team, but again we hung with them and just need to play a full 60 minutes. I think games like that will help build our confidence as a team. We might not be making the playoffs this season, but we still want to go out every night and compete and build for next year. Show the league that we're ready to challenge anyone and pick up some wins.

My family was able to come see my first two games with Columbus, including my biggest fan, my little brother Kenny!

We played in Colorado on Thursday and Mason was great in a 2-0 shutout. It's nice to get my first win as a Blue Jacket, my first fight (against Gabriel Landeskog), and I hope to add many more in the future. I want to thank the city of Columbus (surprising from a Wolverine, I know) for your hospitality and making this transistion in my career so great. I didn't know what to expect, but I'm so thrilled, excited, and can't wait to turn things around.

New Team, Same Goal!

February 23rd, 2012... Officially a proud member of the Columbus Blue Jackets!
Today I was traded along with a conditional first round pick for Jeff Carter.

I'd like to thank the LA Kings and all of their great fans for the past 5 years. I have so many great memories that I will cherish forever. I'm thrilled for the new opportunity with the Columbus Blue Jackets and hope to contribute in the turn around of the organization. I hate losing and will give my best effort every time I take the ice. It's a process, but my ultimate goal is still the same, and that's to win the Stanley Cup. I can't wait to get to work in Columbus and I thank all my fans for their support throughout my career.

Speaking of my new team, how do you guys like the new jersey and number? You can order your own jersey by contacting the FS Ohio Blue Line. Hope to see a lot of Johnson Blue Jackets jerseys in the crowd all around the league!

Look Who Is Coming Home!

January 24th, 2012... Prince is Back! Wow, the boys of summer in the D look like they added a major piece of the puzzle with Prince Fielder. The Tigers had a great line-up already, but to add a bat like that has to make opposing pitchers hesitant to thrown anything good around the plate. It has to be pretty cool for him to return to where his dad played and where he grew up. I'm excited for some baseball at Comerica Park this summer!

Well, the Super Bowl teams have been determined with a rematch of the New England Patriots and New York Giants. It has been a crazy and exciting playoffs so far and I've got to go with Tom Brady, Zoltan Mesko, and the New England Patriots. Those two are great former Michigan wolverines and I know they will do us proud. I can't forget Mario Manningham and David Baas either, also former Wolverines on the Giants, and wish them the best of luck. I know they will have a great game too, but I have to go with Brady and the boys on this one.

Finally I want to say best of luck to Jonathan Quick at the All-Star game. It is well deserved and I know he will represent the Kings with pride.

A LITTLE HELP FROM ABOVE!

January 10th, 2012... Tebowing? You're On! So I'm a huge fan of Tim Tebow and while watching the Broncos playoff game against the Steelers with some buddies that flew in from Michigan, they dared me to Tebow the next time I scored. I took the dare and who knew the next night I'd get my chance. I figured I'd better pay up or I would never hear the end of it, but I never expected all the talk from doing it! Ha, it's great, but even better is the fact that we finally got some offense for our goalies. They have been spectacular for us, so it was nice to give them a little cushion. Check out the video below of the goal, which ended up being the game-winner. Hallelujah!

Speaking of praying to a higher power, I want to give a shout out to Jack Jablonski, the 16-year-old Minnesota High School hockey player who was paralyzed after a check last week. We all BEL13VE you can pull through this tough time and are praying for you buddy!

You can follow Jack's progress on his facebook page. You can also read about his story here. Keep him in your thoughts please.

POUR SOME SUGAR ON ME!

January 4th, 2012... How Sweet It Is! Congratulations to Brady Hoke and the Michigan football team for an exciting 23-20 overtime victory against the Virginia Tech Hokies. It was a crazy game with a lot of strong defensive efforts from Mike Martin and the boys to hold them to field goals. Wow, I don't even know how to describe it, I'm speechless, but so happy. It's great to be a Michigan Wolverine.



Congratulations also to my Michigan Wolverines for bringing home another GLI title after beating Michigan State 3-2 in overtime. It has been a little bit of a rough season, but hopefully this can turn things around and they'll continue to climb the charts in the second half. Happy New Year Everyone! Here is to a great 2012!

Defenseman Kevin Clare scored in overtime to secure the 15th GLI title in program history!

LIKE FATHER LIKE SON!

December 30th, 2011... We had a pretty successful fathers' trip in Chicago and Winnipeg. Just spending time with my dad was great, but it brought back so many memories of when I was young traveling for tournaments and how far I have come because of him. My dad and mom sacrificed a lot to get me where I am today, so I am so thankful that I could share the experience with him. I wish we could've got a goal last night in Winnipeg especially with Bernier's performance, but we dropped a 1-0 decision in overtime. In Chicago my dad had the chance to catch up with Patrick Kane's dad, so it was just like the Vancouver Olympics for him. For that game we were on the winning end of shutout as we beat the Blackhawks 2-0. So far my dad is 4-0-1 on these trips, so maybe I'll keep him around more often on the road! Check out the videos below from the Kings to see a glimpse of what it was like.









I want to wish my Michigan Wolverines the best of luck tonight as they take on the Michigan State Spartans for the GLI Championship. I know you guys can do it! Also, good luck to the football team in the Sugar Bowl in a few days. I'm sure they're enjoying what New Orleans has to offer, but will focus and get down to business when it's go time. With Denard Robinson running the offense and Mike Martin leading the defense, the team is in good hands on the field. Speaking of football, it's an amazing feeling to be able to say that the Detroit Lions are in the playoffs! To put that in perspective, my brother was a year old the last time that happened (1999). That's a long time, but things have slowly turned around after they hit rock bottom and Matt Stafford is a true leader and is doing the city proud. He's a pro bowl quarterback in my book and I know he will lead the Lions to great things in the coming years.

I also want to wish the US World Junior and Under-17 teams the best of luck in their tournaments right now. I remember competing in those tournaments and there's nothing like it. Enjoy the experience, especially the atmosphere when facing Canada on their nation's soil. You'll make American proud and bring home the gold! And congratulations to USA women's hockey legend and 4-time Olympian Angela Ruggiero on her retirement. Classy, talented, and such a great ambassador for our sport.

TIME FOR A CHANGE!

December 20th, 2011... Well, it's nice to be home after a long road trip. It was fun to be back in Detroit and see my family and friends. Today the Kings announced that we have a coaching change with Darryl Sutter taking over behind the bench. We will see if things change around here and get better. I'm excited to be with my family for Christmas and hopefully Santa thinks I've been good this year! I especially want to thank and say happy holidays to our troops.

AMERICA'S GAME!

December 9th, 2011... Tomorrow is the 112th football game between Army and Navy, one of the greatest rivalries in sports. Everyone should tune in and watch the parade into the stadium by the Cadets and Midshipmen. It's spectacular and makes me proud to be an American. This game is all about pride, honor, and a sense of achievement. God bless you all and Go Navy, Go Army, and of course, Go USA! I will be watching with pride.

I NEED YOUR VOTES!

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

Thanks to Those Who Served!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Better To Be Lucky Than Good!