Skip navigation
Favorites
Sign up to follow your favorites on all your devices.
Sign up

Jack Johnson: King-sized frustration

Jack Johnson

Los Angeles Kings’ Jack Johnson celebrates scoring the second shootout goal past Chicago Blackhawks goaltender Cristobal Huet during their NHL hockey game in Los Angeles on Saturday, Nov. 28, 2009. The Kings won 2-1 in a shootout. (AP Photo/Danny Moloshok)

AP

Every now and then, Pro Hockey Talk will ask for insight from some of the best team bloggers out there. For this feature, we asked a simple question: “Who is your team’s most frustrating player?” Just for fun, Brandon and I also provided our “guesses” as to who that player might be. First, here are our guesses for the Kings.

Brandon: Jonathan Quick - He’s been good. Great even. Problem is, he’s been so reliable and consistent this season, he’s forced the Kings to play him every single night. Most likely 71-73 games this season. So he’ll collapse in the playoffs from exhaustion.

James: Alex Frolov - Frolov might not be a source of frustration for the Kings much longer with his contract set to expire but the Russian winger has regressed substantially since his breakout 2006-07 season.

For the Kings’ perspective, I tabbed “Chris Kontos” of the Royal Half. Check out his blog for all the snarky, photo-heavy fun.

When it comes to frustrating Los Angeles Kings fans, there’s no player better at it than Alexander Frolov. Since being drafted 20th overall in the very competitive 2000 NHL Draft, Frolov has been consistently inconsistent. 14 goals his rookie year... 24 goals his sophomore season followed by years of 21, 35, 23, 32 and a measly 17 goals this NHL season... which just happens to be an important contract year for the Russian winger. Frolov can dance around in the corners with the puck for an entire shift and then disappear for an entire game. And the worst part of it all? Frolov skates around the whole time with a sweet innocent smile on his face giving his critics more fuel to their interpretation of him as someone who isn’t passionate about being a professional hockey player.

That being said, Frolov’s not the most frustrating player for me on the Kings roster. After 7 years in the NHL, I think this is the best Frolov is going to get. Maybe some other NHL coach will be able to get it out of him... but Andy Murray, Marc Crawford and Terry Murray all sure weren’t able to. No, my most Frustrating Los Angeles King is USA posterboy and Biff Tannen look-a-like, Jack Johnson.

More on Jack Johnson after the jump.

Milan Michalek, Jack Johnson

Ottawa Senators left wing Milan Michalek, left, of the Czech Republic and Los Angeles Kings defenseman Jack Johnson fight during the third period of their NHL hockey game, Thursday, Dec. 3, 2009, in Los Angeles. The Kings won 5-3. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

AP

Jack Johnson was born and bred to be an elite NHL defenseman. He is a product of the U.S. National Team Development Program, was prep school teammates and best friends with Sidney Crosby and dominated college hockey during his time at Michigan. Drafted 3rd overall in 2005 by the Carolina Hurricanes, Johnson was pegged as a can’t-miss, #1 NHL defenseman who could crush bodies as much as he could crush slap shots from the point. Jack had no intention of playing in Carolina and was stolen by Kings GM Dean Lombardi in exchange for Eric Belanger and Tim Gleason, thus creating his famous nickname when Kings fans exclaimed, “Oh my god, we just got Jack M’F’ing Johnson!” Well, 3 full NHL seasons later, JMFJ has been anything but MF’ing. He’s a defensive liability and his only legitimate scoring threat has been in the shootout. (5 for 13 this year so far.) On the same shift, Johnson can create an explosive offensive play and then pass the puck right up the middle on defense, leading to a goal against. Even his own GM exploded earlier this season in frustration with JJ’s play:

“Jack Johnson, three years ago, was all highlight film stuff,” said Lombardi. “But the trouble is, the highlight film stuff was only once every three games. In between, it was all fire drills. [He just had to] simplify [his game]. No highlights. The highlights will come back once you start to simplify.”

“But you’re hoping the [solid defensive play] becomes second nature. He still has to think about it. But when that becomes second nature, now recognize when you can put on your show.”

In a day and age when Top 3 NHL picks are stepping in and become impact players immediately, Jack Johnson is still left on the fringe. In fact, he was recently named the Least Valuable Player in 5 on 5 play.

With Drew Doughty vaulting past Jack Johnson in a season and half... Johnson can be a nightly source of frustration for loyal Kings fans. Most games he’s outplayed by Rob Scuderi and Matt Greene and sometimes even Sean O’Donnell. If it wasn’t for Randy Jones... JMFJ just might be the 6th best defenseman on the Los Angeles Kings. The Kings have many young defensive prospects in their system and with Jack Johnson set to be a UFA at the end of next season... Dean Lombardi just might be letting this MF’er go free some day soon.