Jack Johnson seems upset that his coach didn't support his Olympic candidacy

With 43 appearances in international tournaments for USA Hockey's senior men's ice hockey team team and 31 appearances as a U20, U18 and U17 player respectively; Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Jack Johnson has an international resume that is nearly as long as a Leo Tolstoy novel. 

In fact, Johnson had long been considered a potential captain of the 2014 American Olympic men's ice hockey team. On January 1st when the team was announced, however, Johnson didn't make the cut.

The reporting of ESPN's Scott Burnside - who was embedded with USA Hockey's management team throughout the selection process - made it clear that leaving Johnson off of the team was an emotional decision for the American Olympic team's management group. On the other hand the article also made it relatively clear that Team USA's coaches didn't fully support Johnson's inclusion on the team. 

That's a bit of an inconvenient fact for the Columbus Blue Jackets, especially considering that their head coach Todd Richards is an assistant coach for the Team USA men's Olympic ice-hockey team. It's additionally uncomfortable that Johnson is well aware that his coach didn't fully support him during the selection process.

"I read the article that said three coaches unanimously left me off," Johnson told Aaron Portzline of the Columbus Dispatch this week. "It’s over now. … Anything that’s said now is empty and meaningless. When I needed the belief and trust, I didn’t get it, and I didn’t get it when it counted from numerous people."

Johnson added that he "sat there and watched (the team get named) on TV along with everybody else."

This particular episode of Olympic-related bitterness might not be on quite the same level as what Steve Yzerman and Martin St. Louis are surely going through in Tampa Bay at the moment, but it sure seems like it's every bit as awkward.