On this edition of ‘MOJ on Sports’, host Bob Marjanovich talks with Ryan Johansen, center for the Nashville Predators of the NHL.
Born in Port Moody, Johansen’s hockey career began when he played for the Penticton Vees in the British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) during the 2008-2009 season. He quickly made a name for himself as a standout player and was drafted by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the first round of the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.
Johansen made his NHL debut with the Blue Jackets during the 2011-2012 season and quickly became a key player for the team. During the 2013-2014 season, Johansen had a breakout year, scoring 33 goals and recording 30 assists for a total of 63 points. He was named an NHL All-Star for the first time in his career that same season.
Marjanovich asked Johansen what was the toughest thing about being a rookie in the national hockey league?
‘For me, it was the consistency. I’d go out one game and I’d make a couple big time plays and score a goal or make a nice assist, and then I wouldn’t do anything for four games,’ says Johansen.
In January 2016, Johansen was traded to the Nashville Predators in exchange for defenseman Seth Jones. He has helped lead the team to multiple playoff appearances, including a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals in 2017 after sweeping the defending Stanley Cup champ Chicago Blackhawks in the first round.
‘We went into that series just like we’re coming for their heads, we weren’t losing no matter what,’ says Johansen. ‘The motivation for me was just through the roof. We just steamrolled. We just kept going and going, but nothing distracted us. We were just a team on a mission, and man, it was so much fun’.
Off the ice, Johansen has been involved with numerous organizations over the years, including the Make-A-Wish Foundation.
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