Johnson, a native of Calgary, is very adept with the puck and sees the ice well.
“He has a high skill level and may project to be a power play guy because of his skill and vision,” Leaman said.
Johnson spent last year playing in the Alberta Junior Hockey League for the Calgary Royals. He played left wing there but will make the transition to center for the Crimson.
In describing Johnson, Leaman drew comparisons to more seasoned Crimson players.
“Look for him to start out with a limited role, but by Christmas really come into his own, almost exactly like [sophomore] Tom Cavanagh did last year and [junior] Tyler Kolarik the year before,” Leaman said.
Johnson’s counterpart on the front line will be Dan Murphy of North Andover, Mass., who will play left wing for the Crimson.
“He’s talented and knowledgeable with an accurate shot,” Nowak said of Murphy. “He knows what to do with the puck.”
Leaman compares Murphy to Tim Pettit, who has amassed 32 goals over the last two years.
“We are looking for him to use his great release with players that get him the puck in the right situations,” Leaman said.
Murphy’s work ethic showed during the offseason, when he led all the freshmen in weight room testing. He said he was attracted to Harvard because of its level of play and bright future.
“They have a great hockey tradition, the players are all really skilled, and the team—along with the coaches—strongly believes that we can become a national powerhouse again,” Murphy said.
Rounding out the freshman class is goaltender John Daigneau of Brookfield, Wis.
Of all the freshmen, Daigneau will be battling the hardest for minutes, competing for time with sophomore starter Dov Grumet-Morris.
“I don’t know how much time he’ll get because Dov is one of the best goalies around the league this year, and he’s obviously going to be in the No. 1 role,” captain Dominic Moore said. “But [Daigneau] will be vital as a backup goalie.”
Daigneau spent last season playing with the Chicago Steel of the USHL, an experience he believes was vital in his transition to college hockey.
“[Junior hockey] is played at a fast pace and has a lot of pressure,” Daigneau said. “Sometimes I was playing in front of five thousand people. I had to grow up much sooner, and every aspect of my game improved.”
Daigneau is a competitive player with good agility.
“Jon is very quick for his size and plays a very similar style to Patrick Roy by playing the percentages,” Steel coach Willard Nichol said. “In tight, it is very difficult to beat Jon because he is very good with his angles, is patient and will smother shooters.”
Daigneau’s positive attitude and work ethic may pay dividends later on in the season. Despite the label of “backup,” Daigneau has a golden opportunity to help the team.
“We really look for him to push Dov this year, and there is no doubt in our minds that he will be called upon somewhere in the season to step up and win games for our team,” Leaman said.