But although Johnson looked to veterans like Kolarik for the past two years—and was even compared to him when he first arrived at Harvard—their off-ice attitudes were definitely different.

“When he spoke up in the locker room, everyone paid attention to him,” Johnson says of Kolarik. “He’s a bit more intense than I am—I’m a little more laid-back.”

Instead, Johnson will let his demeanor speak for itself, most of the time.

“I probably just lead more by example, and hopefully when I do speak up, because I’m more laid-back, people will listen,” he says. “[I hope to be] more of the Dom Moore [’03] type—not so vocal, but people pay attention to you when you have something to say.”

BRINGING…SOMETHING

With the 2004 season just underway, it’s too early to tell if Johnson has fully adjusted to his new role as an all-around leader. Will he set an example for the underclassmen as a reliable and potent offensive sparkplug? Will he live up to the talent belied by his physical skill? And most importantly, will he bring the jam?

Speaking of which, what is the jam, exactly?

Johnson has to laugh.

“I think the jam is kind of just energy and high intensity,” he says.

Whatever you call it, Johnson has shown that he has the ability to break it out from time to time. This season, the question remains whether he can move from sticky to sticking it to Harvard opponents—every game, every shot.

—Staff writer Lisa J. Kennelly can be reached at kennell@fas.harvard.edu.