Johnston continues to wow in opening act of second season

Wyatt Johnston did something pretty special last year.

The then-19-year-old made the Stars NHL roster and found a way to stick all season. He then tied for the lead in NHL rookie goals with 24 in 82 games, scored the winning goal in each series-clinching game in the playoffs, and was a key component in helping Dallas to the Western Conference Final. So his performance in the season opener probably shouldn’t have been a surprise.

But there are often sophomore slumps in pro sports, especially for a player so young, and Johnston missed most of training camp with an upper body injury. He had only been practicing a few days before Thursday’s 2-1 shootout win over the Blues, so there was the fear that he might be slow or rusty or simply just not 100 percent.

Instead, Johnston was one of the team’s better skaters, playing 17:15, tallying an assist and recording eight shot attempts.

“That’s a great sign, a great, great sign,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said. “He looks stronger, faster, more confident than a year ago - which is scary. You could see it in overtime, he wanted to end the game himself. And to have that kind of mindset is impressive.”

Even before the overtime, Johnston was clearly noticeable. He had the shot late in the first period that resulted in a Mason Marchment deflection for a power play goal. The score was disallowed because Evgenii Dadonov was offside earlier in the shift, but it was still a nice sign for the second power play unit. Johnston then moved the puck to Ty Dellandrea on the first shift of the second period, and Dellandrea set up Jamie Benn for a wrap-around goal – the only goal of regulation for the Stars. Johnston then had a Grade-A scoring chance off a pass from defenseman Thomas Harley that Blues goalie Jordan Binnington stopped in the third period.

In overtime, the shifty center created all sorts of opportunities. After averaging 39 seconds per game last season in the 3-on-3 overtime, he logged 1:08 in the season opener. DeBoer said he wants to use Johnston more on the penalty kill and in overtime, indicating that he has earned a certain amount of trust.

Benn said that’s expected.

“He’s just such a calm player and nothing bothers him, and you saw that in that game,” Benn said when asked about the overtime. “He was right in the middle of it all.”

It’s an interesting balance that has to be found in the extra period, as the open ice in the 3-on-3 format creates ample opportunity, but also has a significant amount of risk involved. The Stars last season went 4-11 in overtime, and that has been a big focus of training camp. In a couple of practices, the Stars have circled back with the puck, retained possession and reloaded. The strategy is it’s better to keep the puck than give it away if you can’t score.

Still, the object is to win the game.

“I definitely think he has the mindset to go out there and win it,” Benn said. “He understands the risk, and he manages it.”

Johnston has earned trust from the coaching staff. Everyone was trying to figure out how to manage such a young player last season, but Johnston kept getting better and better. DeBoer and GM Jim Nill said they were prepared for some hiccups in the rookie campaign, but Johnston battled through. Having Benn on his line and living with veteran Joe Pavelski helped, but Johnston also showed why he is special.

“Wyatt is the first player of that age that has ever done that on a team I’ve coached,” DeBoer said when asked if he might be able to use some things on future rookies like Logan Stankoven. “Usually that’s rare except for first overall picks and second overall picks. That’s not the norm, and we can’t expect that to be the norm, that the next guy is just going to do the same thing Wyatt did.”

Johnston said both DeBoer and Nill have told him that the second season will be even tougher, and the young forward embraces that challenge.

“Last year, it was pretty easy to kind of fly under the radar,” Johnston said. “Talking to the coaching staff and Jim, teams kind of know a little bit more about who I am now. I think it’ll be more of a learning adjustment. The biggest thing is just doing the things that I do to make me successful and do what I can to help the team. I think that will help me make the best impact.”

Missing most of camp with an injury and trying to jump up to full speed complicates the challenge, but Johnston said he feels good and ready to go.

“It would’ve been nice to get some games in before and get your legs under you a little bit,” Johnston said before Thursday’s game. “But overall, I’m really happy with how the summer went and the preparation that I’ve done the last few months. At the end of the day, I don’t think it really should matter. It’s the first regular season game for everyone, right? It’s going to be an adjustment and a learning experience for everyone. I’m kind of just in the same boat as everyone else.”

Then again, he looks at times to be in a boat all his own.

“I think he’s got it all,” Benn said. “He’s a smart hockey player, he skates well and wins a lot of battles, and that goes a long way. He does the little things well, and that also puts you in a good position. Then you have to react once you get in those key moments, and he reacts well.”

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.