How Johnston is growing into an NHL athlete and a lineup regular

The Stars' decision to keep 19-year-old Wyatt Johnston was a little out of character for this organization, but the risk sure is paying off right now.
Dallas GM Jim Nill has a history of "over-seasoning" his prospects in order to make sure they are ready when it comes time to step up to the NHL, so trusting Johnston would be able to handle the pressure was a big leap.

Mix in the fact that as a Major Junior player, Johnston will burn the first year of his three-year rookie contract this season and can't be sent to the AHL if things start to go sideways - well it just makes this an even bigger gamble.
But after tallying his eighth goal of the season in Game 33 on Monday, things really couldn't look much better for Johnston. He has not only shown he can handle the pressure of being in the NHL, he seems to be getting better each game.
"He's getting more comfortable. He's making more plays. I'm giving him more responsibility," Stars coach Pete DeBoer said. "He's just a pleasure to coach."
That element is a big part of what makes Johnston special. He was drafted 23rd overall in 2021 and then led the OHL in scoring last season with 124 points (46 goals and 78 assists) in 68 games, so he certainly has talent. But being able to do so against NHL players is a different kind of challenge.
"I always tell people that NHL is not a developmental league," Nill said. "The pressures to win are real, you have to win, and you can get overwhelmed by that. So, to have a guy come in and play five minutes a night or sit in the press box, it doesn't work. It doesn't help his development and it doesn't help the team. But he has come in and played every game and gotten better every day."
DeBoer said he has given Johnston more responsibility, such as taking faceoffs in the defensive end and playing in overtime. Now, he says he might give the versatile forward some penalty killing time.
"I think he can kill penalties," DeBoer said. "I think that's something we can probably add as another layer to his game."
Johnston is playing 14:15 per game and has been a fixture on a line with captain Jamie Benn. He has eight goals and five assists and has taken 56 shots on goal. While he looked a little uncertain at times during through training camp and his nine-game "audition" when he could have been sent back to his junior team, Johnston now looks like a lineup regular.
"He was probably putting pressure on himself because he didn't know if he was going to be sent home or stay here, and that's a tough spot to be in," said goalie Jake Oettinger. "He is 19 years old and not many people can play at this level when they're that young, so kudos to him. He's got a great head on his shoulders, and he's got a great guy helping him out. He's a mature kid and he's going to have a great career."
The maturity allows Johnston to process all the information around him. He is living with Joe Pavelski and his family and he's playing beside Benn. That's a great support group.
"What's impressed me the most is he's a very quick learner," Nill said. "He adjusts to the pace of play, he adjusts to the physicality, whatever is thrown in front of him, he seems to analyze it and figure it out."
Nill said he was especially impressed with Johnston when he played in his hometown of Toronto and then at Montreal and Boston. Those were big challenges. On this recent road trip, Johnston was on the ice against Sidney Crosby and Alex Ovechkin among others.
"When we go on the road, the other team is going to try to take advantage of him as a young center iceman," Nill said. "But it doesn't bother him at all. He really seems unfazed by it, and that's a great sign."
It may be a sign Johnston has even better days ahead. Dallas has had a couple of teenagers in Val Nichushkin and Miro Heiskanen in the past, but both had previously played in pro leagues. They haven't really trusted a junior teen like this before. Johnston is showing he deserves that trust.
"We anticipated that we had a special player here, but he has to come in and do it," Nill said of the decision-making from management. "We were optimistic, but until you actually see it, you're never sure. He's a young man, he missed a season in Junior hockey because of the pandemic, and this is a very big step up. The whole plan was to bring him to camp and see where he was, and it was up to him to earn a spot. He's definitely done that."
This story was not subject to the approval of the National Hockey League or Dallas Stars Hockey Club.
Mike Heika is a Senior Staff Writer for DallasStars.com and has covered the Stars since 1994. Follow him on Twitter @MikeHeika.