Blankenburg, Johnson, Power Sign Professional Contracts

Blankenburg, Johnson, Power Sign Professional Contracts

ANN ARBOR, Mich. – Three University of Michigan hockey players Nick Blankenburg, Kent Johnson and Owen Power have signed professional contracts, their respective organizations announced on Friday (April 8).

Blankenburg Signs One-Year Deal with Columbus Blue Jackets

Senior Captain Nick Blankenburg of the University of Michigan hockey team has signed a one-year entry-level contract for the remainder of the 2021-22 season with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Blankenburg led the Wolverines to the 2022 NCAA Frozen Four and the Big Ten Tournament Championship. He had a career season offensively with 14 goals and 15 assists for 29 points and was named Honorable mention all-conference. Blankenburg’s 14 goals tied the Michigan program record for goals in a single season by a senior defenseman. Along with freshman Luke Hughes, the pair became the first two defensemen to reach double digits in goals since the 2005-06 season. Additionally, Blankenburg was second on the team in blocked shots with 47 and was a +17.

During his four-year Michigan career, Blankenburg played in 133 games and scored 25 goals and 44 assists for 69 points. He finished a +52 with 10 power-play goals and three game-winning goals. The three-time Honorable mention All-Big Ten selection, Blankeburg was also a three-time Academic All-Big Ten selection. A native of Washington, Mich., Blankenburg was a finalist for the 2022 Senior CLASS Award.

They will join fellow Wolverine Zach Werenski in Columbus on Monday.

Nick Blankenburg (Michigan Photography)

Johnson Signs Three-Year ELC with Columbus

Sophomore forward Kent Johnson has signed a three-year, entry-level contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets.

Columbus’ fifth-overall pick in the 2021 NHL Draft, Johnson spent two seasons in Ann Arbor as an electrifying attacking forward. Known for his show-stopping creative Flair, Johnson scored eight goals and added 29 assists this past season for 37 points in 32 games. He finished fourth in the Nation in assists per game and was 16th in points per game. He scored four game-winning goals, four power-play goals and one short-handed goal, and finished a +25. An Honorable mention of All-Big Ten selection for the second straight season, he also earned Academic All-Big Ten honors.

During his freshmen year, Johnson was named to the Big Ten All-Freshman team while finishing second on the team in scoring with 27 points on nine goals and 17 assists in 26 games. He was third in the Nation in Rookie points per game.

He wraps up his time in the Bread & Blue with 64 points in 58 games, netting 17 goals and 47 assists with a +41 rating.

Internationally, Johnson was a key member of the Canadian World Junior team before the tournament was ended due to COVID-19. Months later, in the midst of a strong sophomore campaign, Johnson was invited by Hockey Canada to the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing. Although initially slated to be an alternate, they appeared in every game for the Canadians and finished as a point-per-game player with one goal and four assists with a +4 rating in five games.

He will join fellow Wolverines Zach Werenski and Nick Blankenburg in Columbus on Monday.

Kent Johnson (Michigan Photography)

Well. 1 Overall Draft Pick Power Heading to Buffalo

Sophomore defenseman Owen Power, the No. 1 overall selection in the 2021 NHL Draft, has signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Buffalo Sabers, the team announced on Friday (April 8).

In a Stellar 59-game career with the Wolverines, Power tallied six goals and 42 assists for 48 points along with a +46 rating.

This season, Power was named the first-team All-Big Ten selection as well as a finalist for the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year award. The Mississauga, Ontario native was named to the NCAA All-Region Team last week as they tallied four assists in the Regional Final, the second most Helpers by a Wolverine in an NCAA Tournament game. In an Academic All-Big Ten selection, he was leading the nation’s defenseman in points per game before leaving for the Olympics. He finished fifth in the Nation in assists per game and was third among defensemen in points per game.

In his freshman campaign after being tabbed to the conference’s all-freshman team, Power was tabbed by the College Hockey News Freshman of the Year. He played in all 26 games and had three goals and 13 assists.

The first-ever Wolverine to go first overall in the NHL Draft, Power has had an incredible international career. The Mississauga, Ontario native won a gold medal at the 2021 World Championship and tallied three assists in 10 games while being named the Player of the Game vs. ROC. He made history in January as the first defenseman in Canada’s history to net the six tricks in the World Junior Championship. Two months later at the Olympics, Power led Canada in time on ice, averaging 21:38 per game, and had a team-high 10 shots on goal and one assist.

The Sabers have three games remaining on their current road trip: Friday at Florida, Sunday at Tampa Bay and Tuesday at Toronto. Buffalo’s next home game is Thursday against St. Louis.

Owen Power (Michigan Photography)