When Jack Johnson first became a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets, the franchise was at its nadir. A blockbuster trade for Jeff Carter quickly turned sour, and Johnson was a big piece of the return when Carter was dispatched to Los Angeles. Captain Rick Nash would follow Carter out the door a few months later after a trade request of his own.
Even though he was traded away from a team that ended up winning the Stanley Cup that spring, Johnson never expressed resentment. He recognized there was a leadership void in the locker room and stepped up to fill it.