Ryan Johansen is a big, highly skilled first line centre in today’s NHL. Yet so many Blue Jackets fans and media alike who follow the team seem to think he's lazy, out of shape, and a big reason for the failures of this team to date.
Let’s pretend that idea is correct, it’s not, but stay with me. If Ryan Johansen is lazily the team’s second leading scorer, doesn’t that say more about the team than Ryan Johansen? Shouldn’t the other players be working harder so they can surpass his performance? It doesn’t make a whole lot of sense to trade or bench a lazy player when he's clearly the best on the team. There issue is with the other players.
Even if you think Johansen is lazy, there is no logical reason for Johansen not to try. Even if he is the most selfish, me first player out there, he has plenty of incentive to try this season. He’s an RFA in two seasons; wouldn’t he want to have a great season this year and next so he can cash in? Sure he's already making a ton of money but imagine what he could get if he had back to back monster seasons? He could be looking at $9M+ if he went out and had two 90+ point seasons.
It’s ridiculous to blame this season on Johansen, but what is it about Ryan Johansen, that gives people the impression he’s lazy. The easy answer of course is just watching him, he never appears to be skating full speed or giving it is all. Here’s why that is: he doesn’t have to. Johansen is a tremendous skater. His stride is smooth and effortless. He doesn’t need his arms pumping or his legs churning like crazy to get to top speed. Johansen thinks the game at such a high level he can anticipate plays and know where he needs to be on the ice. His positioning is usually good and he knows how to react to situations.
Other players who look like they are trying all the time have to because they are always out of position. Think about the players that are always working the hardest. It’s usually the grinders and fourth liners. Why? They are just constantly skating up and down the ice. They don’t have the skill to sustain offensive pressure, so they spend a lot of their shift hitting and blocking shots in the defensive zone.
Did Johansen struggle last game? Absolutely he did. That is going to happen with star players. They have to face the opposition’s best whose sole purpose is to shut them down. Let’s keep in mind as well that Johansen has the hardest job on the team; scoring goals.
During this whole Johansen situation keep this in mind:
Once you trade Ryan Johansen you no longer have Ryan Johansen.
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@PaulBerthelot 
Columbus Blue Jackets Blogger • 
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