It is April 17, 2021. Wyatt Johnston has touched down in Frisco, Texas, for the first time. A 17 year old hockey player from Toronto, Ontario is set to play hockey for the first time in over a year since his rookie season with the OHL’s Windsor Spitfires abruptly ended due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The 2020-21 season was supposed to be Wyatt’s coming out party, his draft year. Unfortunately, the OHL cancelled their season, leaving the budding centre with nowhere to play that year.
“It was definitely pretty frustrating but I was able to train pretty well”.
Here in Frisco, Johnston is with Canada’s U18 World Championship team. Unbeknownst to him, he will be playing with a future teammate (Logan Stankoven), future top five draft picks (Mason McTavish & Shane Wright), and even a generational prospect (Connor Bedard). All Wyatt and the team are focused on is bringing home the gold medal for their country.
“I was pretty nervous; it felt weird I hadn’t played a real game so I wasn’t really used to it”. Canada absolutely dominates group play, throttling Sweden 12-1 in the first game and never looking back. Leading up to the goal medal game against Russia, they throttled Czechia with 10 goals and showed some mercy to Sweden, ‘only’ hammering home 8 goals. In Canada’s first real moment of adversity, being down 2-1 in the second period, Johnston and the Canadians respond with three straight. Almost halfway through the third, Russia pulls within one. In the final minute, with the game hanging in the balance, Shane Wright scores an empty net goal to seal the gold..
For Johnston, this moment is also redemption for Canada’s shortcomings in the U17 world hockey championship. “It was definitely a much different situation this time around [compared to the U17s WHC] but nonetheless it was pretty amazing”.
The seven games Johnston played in that tournament was the only draft tape scouts and NHL front offices could use to make an evaluation. Would it be enough to be drafted high? Would a team be willing to take a chance? Johnston’s draft projection leading up to the draft was wide-ranging, with some placing him in the late first round, and others as low as the third round. Where would Wyatt begin his NHL career?
Little did Johnston know that he was already at his future home in the lone star state. The Stars, originally holding the 15th overall pick, executed a masterful trade down with the Red Wings for the 23rd pick, which they used to select Johnston, while also snagging the 47th overall pick, which they would use on Stankoven.
Wyatt’s draft plus one season would put the entire hockey world on notice and show the steal(s) Dallas obtained that draft. Back in the OHL, with 124 points in just 68 games, Johnston captured both the MVP and scoring title. Somehow, he stepped it up in the playoffs with 41 points in 25 games, leading the Spitfires to a game seven against his Canada teammate, McTavish, and his Hamilton Bulldogs.
Unfortunately, fate would be cruel and the Bulldogs skated away with the OHL championship following a 6-1 defeat. Johnston was clearly too elite to not be given a shot at the NHL, a shot at an NHL roster he was sure to capitalize on as he had done on the ice 60 times that season (regular season + playoffs). The Stars were in a precarious position heading into 2022-23; they had just lost in seven games to the Calgary Flames and hired a new head coach, Pete DeBoer. Contrary to popular belief, Wyatt’s spot was not solidified when he made the opening day roster; he could still be sent down after nine games without the Stars burning a year off his ELC.
What allowed Johnston to immediately step into the NHL and make an instant impact? "He just does everything right. The hockey brain and competitiveness is what separates him." - Windsor GM Bill Bowler. "That's always been a big part of my game. If you're not taking care of both ends of the ice, you're gonna get burned pretty badly." His debut, at a hostile environment in Nashville, saw him score his first goal, on the power play (great foreshadowing) in the third period in a decisive victory that more or less solidified his spot in the NHL.
Of course, the mentorship of Joe Pavelski, with over 400 career goals, and Jamie Benn, the longtime captain in D-town, certainly helped mold Johnston into the player he is today. Johnston’s rookie season, while spectacular for a 19 year old, saw him become one of many contributors for the Stars, with 24 goals & 41 points while playing all 82 games.
The playoffs are where Johnston has truly established himself as legendary. 4 goals and 6 points in 19 games is nothing marvelous on the surface. However, when dissecting when those goals occurred: the game winning goal to eliminate the Minnesota Wild in game six, the opening goal that allowed the Stars to knot their second round series with the Seattle Kraken at one, another opening goal to take a 3-2 series lead against the Kraken, and of course, the game winning goal in a 2-1 game seven victory against the same Kraken.
He has only since improved. Perhaps his drive can be linked back to the pandemic and missing the best sport in the world. "There was going to be a next game at some point," Johnston said. "I didn't know when. It was making sure I was going to be as good as I possibly could when that time came." The 2023-24 season can be considered his breakout. With 32 goals and 65 points in a 3C role, he helped the Stars finish as the first seed in the Western Conference, favorites to represent the West in the Stanley Cup Final, all while buying into the team mantra ‘A little less for a lot more’.
Their first round opponents, the reigning Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights, would be arguably the hardest first round matchup in NHL history. Even more so when Dallas fell down 2-0 in the series. Once again, Johnston’s clutch gene showed up again: two goals including the overtime winner in game 3 in the Sin City, and of course, the opening goal in game seven shorthanded.
The Stars wouldn’t need him as much against the Colorado Avalanche but it was Johnston who delivered the kill shot in game four with the first two goals of a victory that gave Dallas a 3-1 series lead, and essentially the series.
Goals in three consecutive games against the Oilers kept Dallas in the series but they fell short in six games, the last of which would be Pavelski’s final game in his illustrious NHL career. Post-game, it was tough to resonate that his time playing with Pavelski, his mentor who welcomed him with open arms to his house and family. "I can't thank him and his family enough for what they've done for me."
2024-25 represented the year many expected Wyatt to take the next step and establish himself as the Star’s franchise player. A slow start, for his standards, raised some concerns, but a hot streak after the new year would quell those concerns quite well.
In March, at the trade deadline, the Stars made two franchise-altering moves: 1. They traded Stankoven, along with 2 first round draft picks and 2 third rounders, to the Carolina Hurricanes for superstar Mikko Rantanen (Johnston’s current linemate). 2. They extended Johnston at a bargain rate of 8.4 million/year for the next five seasons. On the open market, it’s certain Johnston could have commanded at least eight figures, but money is hardly the main motivation, especially with the Stars right in their contention window.
In the postseason, when all the chips were down, Wyatt was once again at his best. In a swing game 5 with the series tied at two apiece against the Avalanche, Johnston contributed two goals and an assist in a 6-2 victory that gave Dallas control of the series. In the do-or-die game seven, the Stars found themselves down 2-0. Rantanen would score successive goals to tie the game at 2. With under five minutes left, the Stars were gifted a power play. Of course, as usual, Johnston scored the game winner in another game seven to send the Stars to the next round. He became the first player under 22 in NHL history to score multiple series-clinching goals in game sevens.
What allows Johnston to perform so well in the biggest moments? Wyatt would attribute it to playing different sports. Growing up, he competed in cross country, ball hockey, and soccer growing up. “I think playing another sport, especially growing up, is pretty huge. It just develops so many different skills. Being in the third period, I always found I had a bit of extra energy.” Throughout his career, three trends have been clearly established thus far: constant improvement season by season from Johnston, iron-man durability from Johnston (has not missed a game so far) and unfortunately an inability for the Stars to break through the Western Conference Finals, having now lost back to back against the Oilers.
Trends 1 and 2 have more than continued this season. Coming off his only overall disappointing postseason (for his lofty standards), Johnston has unequivocally quieted the naysayers, whether he intended to or not, with 4 goals and 86 points in all 82 games. With 27 power play goals, he shattered the Stars’ previous record of 22 by Dino Ciccarelli in the 1986-87 season.
His continued improvement has been marvelled at by NHL scouts and teammates, alike. “He might be the best in the league in that roving slot/net-front role now,” - NHL scout "I think the thing with Johnny is it's not just from one area. It's all over the ice. So, he just finds a way to get open and get a shot off" - Jason Robertson
Trend 3 is a bit more troubling, but the Stars seem poised for vengeance this season. Case in point: A season sweep of the Oilers, including an 8-3 explosion November 25. “It felt good, obviously nice to beat that team, obviously with our history in playoffs the last couple of years,” Johnston admitted. Perhaps it will be this vengeance that allows Johnston to help lead the Stars to their first Stanley Cup since 1999.
“I was pretty nervous; it felt weird I hadn’t played a real game so I wasn’t really used to it”.
Canada absolutely dominates group play, throttling Sweden 12-1 in the first game and never looking back. Leading up to the goal medal game against Russia, they throttled Czechia with 10 goals and showed some mercy to Sweden, ‘only’ hammering home 8 goals. In Canada’s first real moment of adversity, being down 2-1 in the second period, Johnston and the Canadians respond with three straight. Almost halfway through the third, Russia pulls within one. In the final minute, with the game hanging in the balance, Shane Wright scores an empty net goal to seal the gold.
For Johnston, this moment is also redemption for Canada’s shortcomings in the U17 world hockey championship. “It was definitely a much different situation this time around [compared to the U17s WHC] but nonetheless it was pretty amazing”.
The seven games Johnston played in that tournament was the only draft tape scouts and NHL front offices could use to make an evaluation. Would it be enough to be drafted high? Would a team be willing to take a chance? Johnston’s draft projection leading up to the draft was wide-ranging, with some placing him in the late first round, and others as low as the third round. Where would Wyatt begin his NHL career?
Little did Johnston know that he was already at his future home in the lone star state. The Stars, originally holding the 15th overall pick, executed a masterful trade down with the Red Wings for the 23rd pick, which they used to select Johnston, while also snagging the 47th overall pick, which they would use on Stankoven.
Wyatt’s draft plus one season would put the entire hockey world on notice and show the steal(s) Dallas obtained that draft. Back in the OHL, with 124 points in just 68 games, Johnston captured both the MVP and scoring title. Somehow, he stepped it up in the playoffs with 41 points in 25 games, leading the Spitfires to a game seven against his Canada teammate, McTavish, and his Hamilton Bulldogs. Unfortunately, fate would be cruel and the Bulldogs skated away with the OHL championship following a 6-1 defeat.
Johnston was clearly too elite to not be given a shot at the NHL, a shot at an NHL roster he was sure to capitalize on as he had done on the ice 60 times that season (regular season + playoffs).
The Stars were in a precarious position heading into 2022-23; they had just lost in seven games to the Calgary Flames and hired a new head coach, Pete DeBoer. Contrary to popular belief, Wyatt’s spot was not solidified when he made the opening day roster; he could still be sent down after nine games without the Stars burning a year off his ELC.
What allowed Johnston to immediately step into the NHL and make an instant impact?
“He just does everything right. The hockey brain and competitiveness is what separates him.” – Windsor GM Bill Bowler.
“That’s always been a big part of my game. If you’re not taking care of both ends of the ice, you’re gonna get burned pretty badly.”
His debut, at a hostile environment in Nashville, saw him score his first goal, on the power play (great foreshadowing) in the third period in a decisive victory that more or less solidified his spot in the NHL.
Of course, the mentorship of Joe Pavelski, with over 400 career goals, and Jamie Benn, the longtime captain in D-town, certainly helped mold Johnston into the player he is today.
Johnston’s rookie season, while spectacular for a 19 year old, saw him become one of many contributors for the Stars, with 24 goals & 41 points while playing all 82 games.
The playoffs are where Johnston has truly established himself as legendary. 4 goals and 6 points in 19 games is nothing marvelous on the surface. However, when dissecting when those goals occurred: the game winning goal to eliminate the Minnesota Wild in game six, the opening goal that allowed the Stars to knot their second round series with the Seattle Kraken at one, another opening goal to take a 3-2 series lead against the Kraken, and of course, the game winning goal in a 2-1 game seven victory against the same Kraken.
He has only since improved. Perhaps his drive can be linked back to the pandemic and missing the best sport in the world. “There was going to be a next game at some point,” Johnston said. “I didn’t know when. It was making sure I was going to be as good as I possibly could when that time came.”
The 2023-24 season can be considered his breakout. With 32 goals and 65 points in a 3C role, he helped the Stars finish as the first seed in the Western Conference, favorites to represent the West in the Stanley Cup Final, all while buying into the team mantra ‘A little less for a lot more’. Their first round opponents, the reigning Stanley Cup champion Vegas Golden Knights, would be arguably the hardest first round matchup in NHL history. Even more so when Dallas fell down 2-0 in the series. Once again, Johnston’s clutch gene showed up again: two goals including the overtime winner in game 3 in the Sin City, and of course, the opening goal in game seven shorthanded. The Stars wouldn’t need him as much against the Colorado Avalanche but it was Johnston who delivered the kill shot in game four with the first two goals of a victory that gave Dallas a 3-1 series lead, and essentially the series. Goals in three consecutive games against the Oilers kept Dallas in the series but they fell short in six games, the last of which would be Pavelski’s final game in his illustrious NHL career.
Post-game, it was tough to resonate that his time playing with Pavelski, his mentor who welcomed him with open arms to his house and family. “I can’t thank him and his family enough for what they’ve done for me.”
2024-25 represented the year many expected Wyatt to take the next step and establish himself as the Star’s franchise player. A slow start, for his standards, raised some concerns, but a hot streak after the new year would quell those concerns quite well.
In March, at the trade deadline, the Stars made two franchise-altering moves: 1. They traded Stankoven, along with 2 first round draft picks and 2 third rounders, to the Carolina Hurricanes for superstar Mikko Rantanen (Johnston’s current linemate). 2. They extended Johnston at a bargain rate of 8.4 million/year for the next five seasons. On the open market, it’s certain Johnston could have commanded at least eight figures, but money is hardly the main motivation, especially with the Stars right in their contention window. In the postseason, when all the chips were down, Wyatt was once again at his best. In a swing game 5 with the series tied at two apiece against the Avalanche, Johnston contributed two goals and an assist in a 6-2 victory that gave Dallas control of the series. In the do-or-die game seven, the Stars found themselves down 2-0. Rantanen would score successive goals to tie the game at 2. With under five minutes left, the Stars were gifted a power play. Of course, as usual, Johnston scored the game winner in another game seven to send the Stars to the next round. He became the first player under 22 in NHL history to score multiple series-clinching goals in game sevens.
What allows Johnston to perform so well in the biggest moments? Wyatt would attribute it to playing different sports. Growing up, he competed in cross country, ball hockey, and soccer growing up.
“I think playing another sport, especially growing up, is pretty huge. It just develops so many different skills. Being in the third period, I always found I had a bit of extra energy.”
Throughout his career, three trends have been clearly established thus far: constant improvement season by season from Johnston, iron-man durability from Johnston (has not missed a game so far) and unfortunately an inability for the Stars to break through the Western Conference Finals, having now lost back to back against the Oilers.
Trends 1 and 2 have more than continued this season. Coming off his only overall disappointing postseason (for his lofty standards), Johnston has unequivocally quieted the naysayers, whether he intended to or not, with 4 goals and 86 points in all 82 games. With 27 power play goals, he shattered the Stars’ previous record of 22 by Dino Ciccarelli in the 1986-87 season.
His continued improvement has been marvelled at by NHL scouts and teammates, alike.
“He might be the best in the league in that roving slot/net-front role now,” – NHL scout
“I think the thing with Johnny is it’s not just from one area. It’s all over the ice. So, he just finds a way to get open and get a shot off” – Jason Robertson
Trend 3 is a bit more troubling, but the Stars seem poised for vengeance this season. Case in point: A season sweep of the Oilers, including an 8-3 explosion November 25.
“It felt good, obviously nice to beat that team, obviously with our history in playoffs the last couple of years,” Johnston admitted.
Perhaps it will be this vengeance that allows Johnston to help lead the Stars to their first Stanley Cup since 1999.
