Former Columbus Blue Jackets top-three draft pick Jack Johnson is exploring new avenues in his retirement. The veteran of 1,228 NHL games has joined The Ohio State University women’s hockey team as an associate head coach. He will take over the position held by former Blue Jackets teammate James Wisniewski, who has left Ohio State to be closer to his family per Aaron Portzline of The Athletic.
Johnson will serve behind head coach Nadine Muzerall, who has won six national championships through a coaching career that spanned five seasons at the University of Minnesota and 10 seasons at Ohio State.
Johnson brings a wealth of leadership and playing experience to Ohio State’s staff. He was a prolific defenseman throughout his playing career. At his best, Johnson rivaled 40 points a season and filled a top-pair role – something he managed throughout much of the first six years of his career.
At his worst, he posted minimal scoring and struggled with inconsistent defense. Even still, Johnson was often a feature of the rosters he played for. He served as an alternate captain in Columbus for five nonconcurrent seasons.
He also served as alternate captain for Team USA at the 2010 and 2011 World Championships, then captained the 2013 squad.
Johnson retired with 342 points totaled across 19 NHL seasons. He also recorded 18 points in 37 World Championship games and one point in six games at the 2010 Winter Olympics. His name and leadership presence was known across the NHL.
Following his retirement after the 2024-25 season, Johnson joined the Vancouver Canucks as a pro scout for the 2025-26 campaign. He will move on from that role to support the Buckeyes next season – a somewhat surprising choice for the University of Michigan alum. Johnson was an electric part of the Wolverines’ lineup from 2005 to 2007.
He recorded 71 points and 236 penalty minutes in 74 games in Michigan, before spending much of his pro career in Ohio.
Ohio State’s women’s team has stumbled a bit after often being a staple of WCHA Hockey. The Buckeyes missed the postseason last season after losing in the national championship game and the WCHA tournament semi-finals in 2024-25. Those struggles come after the Buckeyes secured a national championship in 2022 and 2024, with a WCHA championship to boot in 2022.
Johnson will look to help the Buckeyes’ blue line rebound after a disappointing season while replacing captain Emma Peschel and integrating new recruit Kate Viel.