Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Jack Johnson will miss the rest of the year with a shoulder injury. The team announced Wednesday that Johnson will have surgery on his shoulder, keeping him out for the remainder of the regular season.
Jackson was injured back on Feb. 25, suffering an upper-body injury. The defenseman has missed the last eight games for the team. Coach John Tortorella initially said that Jackson had a timetable of a "couple weeks" to return, but that later turned into an indefinite period of being out. The Blue Jackets moved Johnson to injured reserve towards the end of February, and he will now be out for the rest of the season.
The defenseman will undergo surgery on Thursday for the injury. The team announced that Dr. Larry Watson will perform the procedure at Orthopedic One in Columbus. Jackson has 14 points this season in 60 games, including six goals and eight assists. The defenseman has also recorded 98 hits and 102 blocked shots for the team.
The defenseman is a key player for the Blue Jackets on the power play, and he has recorded six of his points while on the extra-man advantage for Columbus. Johnson was leading the defenseman on the team in a number of categories, including goals and power play goals. The Blue Jackets' depth on the blue line will take a hit without Jackson in the lineup.
The Blue Jackets are currently in last place in the Metropolitan Division with a 28-33-8 record. Columbus is ahead of Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary and Winnipeg in the overall standings. The team next plays against the Detroit Red Wings on Thursday before a home-and-home with the New Jersey Devils. The Blue Jackets will host the Devils on Saturday before travelling to play against the team in New Jersey on Sunday.
Jackson was originally drafted by the Carolina Hurricanes in 2005, but he opted to play for Michigan for the next season. Jackson had his draft rights traded to the Los Angeles Kings in 2006, and he made his NHL debut during the 2007 season. Jackson was later traded to the Blue Jackets in 2012 in a deal for forward Jeff Carter and a first round pick. Jackson has played in over 600 NHL games between the Kings and the Blue Jackets.
