Up My Hockey with Jason Podollan

Ep. 50 - Ryan Johnson - Vancouver Canucks Director of Player Development

January 31, 2021 Ryan Johnson Season 2 Episode 50
Up My Hockey with Jason Podollan
Ep. 50 - Ryan Johnson - Vancouver Canucks Director of Player Development
Show Notes

Try and find someone who doesn't like Ryan Johnson. Go ahead, I'll wait....

Still waiting... That's what I thought... You couldn't do it. 

Ryan Johnson is one the best guys you will ever meet and I think you will be happy to spend 2 hours with him.

I had the privilege of calling RJ my roommate in our first year pro. We were both second round draft picks by the Panthers in 1994 and we both had dreams of retiring As Panthers together.

We were young and motivated and naive. It didn't take long for us to figure out how pro hockey worked and 3/4 quarters of the way into our season, I was traded and we basically never saw each other again.

Ryan went on to play 700 games in the NHL. Almost all of which were played after my 41. He took a little longer to get there, but he stuck around for a hell of a lot longer! We talk about this lesson and his approach to becoming an NHL player.

We also discuss his role as Director of Player Development for the Vancouver Canucks and GM of the Utica Comets. 

As usual, there are lots of lessons and some great stories as you listen to the two of us discuss hockey and what it takes to become a professional.