Kent Johnson’s connections to Port Moody have followed him throughout his career. You can’t talk about professional hockey in Port Moody without mentioning current Tampa Bay Lightning Director of Hockey Operations Jeff Tambellini. The forward, whose NHL career spanned six NHL seasons and included a stint with his hometown Vancouver Canucks back in 2010–11, moved into management roles after retiring from playing in 2016–17. The blossoming stages of his management career landed him in Trail, BC, none-other than Johnson’s BCHL team. 

“He was unreal to me. He really helped me so much in my career. I realized at the time, but even looking back now, that was crucial for me to have to have him. I’m just so grateful,” Johnson said. 

Tambellini acted as both the Head Coach and General Manager during both of Johnson’s two full seasons with the Trail Smoke Eaters in the BCHL. These two seasons were the most offensively-prolific of Johnson’s career throughout all leagues, with the forward registering a shocking 41 goals and 60 assists in 52 games as a 17-year-old. He led the BCHL in scoring this season and was named the Canadian Junior Hockey League’s top forward. This mass increase in offence, he stated, came in part due to having Tambellini in his corner. 

“The biggest thing was just being able to, offensively, have the creativity and make the plays I want to make, and get to try stuff. Getting that trust from Jeff right away, obviously, I think he saw that I wanted to work hard and really be a great player. He was always pushing me to want to be a first-round NHL draft pick, telling me that before anyone else would have even thought that was possible. Jeff really pushed me and inspired me, and it was so much fun playing for him.” 

The decision to head to the BCHL itself was one that Johnson wouldn’t soon forget. While in Trail, Johnson helped his team to two playoff appearances, though their final playoff run was cut short by the COVID-19 Pandemic. Despite the city’s small size — carrying a population of 8,531 as of the start of 2026 — Johnson was quick to explain how “awesome” it was to play there. 

“It was just a hockey town, and so much fun to get to go there. I was in grade 11 and 12, and obviously intimidating a bit, moving away from home. But I kind of just had my focus back then on just going to school, doing my thing there. But then after that, just getting to go to the rink was so much fun. They kind of had everything there for me to develop.” 

Johnson was one of the youngest players on this team when he first joined. During the 2019–20 season, he was one of eight players born in the year 2002. That didn’t stop him from being given an assistant captain’s ‘A,’ being one of four players wearing a letter for Trail that season. 

“It was great. My teammates there, I still keep in touch with some of them. They’re awesome guys. Junior Hockey was some of the best years of my life.” 

Two seasons with the University of Michigan in the NCAA followed Johnson’s time in the BCHL. During that came the moment that would change everything — the simple call of a name, followed by the celebration of a kid from Port Moody making a childhood dream come true.