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Former Wild Defenseman Starts His Coaching Career In NCAA
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- Former Wild Defenseman Starts His Coaching Career In NCAA
Former Minnesota Wild defenseman Jack Johnson is heading back to college hockey.
After retiring from the NHL in January, Johnson has now been named an assistant coach for the Ohio State women's hockey program, beginning the next chapter of a career that spanned nearly two decades.
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Johnson briefly spent time with the Wild organization before the 2025-26 season . The veteran defenseman signed a professional tryout agreement (PTO) with Minnesota and appeared in three preseason games, recording one assist. However, the Wild elected not to offer him a contract at the conclusion of training camp.
Following his release, Johnson did not sign with another NHL organization and never appeared in a regular-season game during the 2025-26 campaign before officially announcing his retirement earlier this year.
Shortly after retiring, Johnson joined the Vancouver Canucks as a professional scout, giving him his first taste of working off the ice. Now, he'll make another transition as he moves behind the bench in the NCAA.
Johnson leaves the NHL after an accomplished 19-year career that included 1,228 regular-season games with the Los Angeles Kings , Columbus Blue Jackets , Pittsburgh Penguins , New York Rangers , Colorado Avalanche and Chicago Blackhawks .
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One of the highlights of his career came in 2022, when he won the Stanley Cup with the Avalanche. In doing so, Johnson became just the 19th player in NHL history to capture his first Stanley Cup after playing at least 1,000 career games.
He also spent two separate stints with the Blue Jackets, first from 2011-18 before returning to Columbus for the 2024-25 season. By the end of his career, Johnson totaled 342 points (77 goals, 265 assists), along with 1,931 hits and 1,831 blocked shots.
Before turning professional, Johnson starred at the University of Michigan, where he earned CCHA All-Rookie Team honors in 2006 and First Team All-CCHA recognition in 2007. He was also named the CCHA Offensive Defenseman of the Year during his sophomore season. Johnson later returned to complete his degree from Michigan in 2022.
Now, the former No. 3 overall pick will bring nearly two decades of NHL experience to Ohio State as he begins his coaching career.
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While Johnson's time with the Wild was brief and never extended beyond the preseason, Minnesota fans may still remember the veteran blueliner competing for a roster spot during training camp. His move to the college ranks marks the latest chapter in a long hockey career that has now come full circle.
