Johnson named CJHL Top Forward

Kent Johnson of the Trail Smoke Eaters has been named the CJHL’s top forward of the year, the league announced Friday.

Johnson, a top prospect for the 2021 NHL Draft, led the BCHL in points with 101 (41 goals, 60 assists) in just 52 games — 30 more points than the next closest player.

The University of Michigan commit was also awarded the BCHL’s Bob Fenton Trophy as the league’s most valuable player and the Vern Dye Memorial Trophy as the most sportsmanlike player in the league, on top of being named a First Team All-Star.

“Johnson impressed me a lot with his advanced offensive wizardry and for being the nucleus on a stronger Trail squad,” Future Considerations head Western scout Justin Froese said. “He’s got excellent offensive tools, a great motor and advanced IQ which serves him well in all facets of his game. The impressive part of his game is he’s done so much already at a young age that he’s still realistically fairly raw and not near the player he will be at the end of the line. Seeing Johnson play with a mature physique and making elite decisions will make him that much more dangerous as he grows to play a more layered game.”

The 17-year-old led the league in power play goals (14) and tied second for game-winning goals (8).

Johnson dressed for Team Canada West in the World Junior A Challenge, collecting two points (one goal, one assist) in his four games played.

With files from Aaron Vickers