After a rough start to the season, Ryan Johansen suddenly finds his name being floated in trade rumors.
The Columbus Blue Jackets center is reported to be "softly in play" on the trade market, not being actively shopped but also not completely off the table should the right offer be presented to general manager Jarmo Kekalainen.
Player and management have not broached the topic of a trade, and despite rather contentious contract negotiation back in the summer of 2014, Johansen says he's on good terms with the organization and that he loves being a Blue Jacket.
"It's my job to play hockey. I can't worry about any of that stuff," he told Frank Seravalli of TSN in regards to the trade rumors. "When you're on a losing team, a team with a bad record, there's going to be speculation that there's going to be change. That's the way it is. It's my job to make sure that I try to make my game better."
He's also trying to put a positive spin on things.
"Might as well use (the trade talk) as motivation," Johansen continued. "We're a struggling team and maybe you want to say I'm struggling a little bit. It's good for me. Maybe I need a little chip on my shoulder. Hopefully I'll have some more success and I'll put away those rumors."
Johansen has recorded four goals and 16 assists through 20 games, putting him on pace for a 16-goal, 64-point season. While the club has fallen to the bottom of the Eastern Conference and replaced head coach Todd Richards with John Tortorella, he says there's no concerns regarding his relationship with the latter.
"He's trying to make me the best player I can be," Johansen said of Tortorella. "He's going to push me and try and get the most out of me - that's his job. I have a good understanding of what he's trying to do. ... He's not going to reward me if I'm not doing that. I'm sure we'll have our moments. But our team has responded pretty well with Torts here. We've been playing better hockey."
Columbus has posted a record of 8-7-0 under the new bench boss, and sit only seven points out of a playoff spot despite amassing zero points through the first seven games of the season.
Further improvement from Johansen - who can become a restricted free agent at the end of next season - as well as the team as a whole might be enough to quash the rumors, for the time being at least.
