So, it’s official -- the Columbus Blue Jackets are making Ryan Johansen a healthy scratch tonight in Arizona.
“He’s an important guy to our organization,” head coach John Tortorella explained, per the Dispatch. “This is a reset for him, in understanding what we’re looking for, not just in the points but in the play.
“You can’t look at it as a punishment, it’s part of the process for him.”
The decision to park Johansen comes 48 hours after Tortorella benched the 23-year-old for the entire third period of Tuesday’s 5-1 loss to Dallas.
Johansen finished the game with a season-low 11:03 TOI.
“That was coach’s decision,” Tortorella explained, per the club website. “No explanation. I just didn’t play him.”
Some pundits questioned Tortorella’s methodology, but it’s important to note two things.
One, Johansen, according to the Dispatch’s Aaron Portzline, put forth a very questionable effort against Dallas:
Johansen played a lethargic first two periods. Many of his passes were way off-line, and there were several neutral-zone turnovers and failed clearing attempts.
I’ve seen suburbanites skate harder on the Columbus Zoo’s holiday pond.
Two, it’s pretty obvious Torts isn’t going rogue:
#CBJ GM Jarmo Kekalainen said he fully supports Tortorella's decision to make a healthy scratch of Ryan Johansen.
— Aaron Portzline (@Aportzline) December 17, 2015
How this plays out will be fascinating. If the tear-him-down-and-build-him-back-up approach works, Johansen could “grow” from this and become a more well-rounded player.
If it fails, it’s hard to see how this situation doesn’t end with a trade out of Columbus.