DALLAS -- Wyatt Johnston has drawn plenty of praise during his brief time with the Dallas Stars.
And no wonder, the 20-year-old forward has and continues to score big goals for the Stars in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.
But it’s his entire game and demeanor that has his coach and veteran teammates throwing compliments and comparisons to all-time greats his way.
“I had (Patrice Bergeron) as a 19-year-old on (Canada’s 2005 IIHF) World Junior team and that’s not taught,” Stars coach Pete DeBoer said. “I think that’s instinctual.”
What DeBoer is talking about Johnston's defensive game. In case you have forgotten, Bergeron won the Selke Trophy, given to the NHL’s best defensive forward, six times in his career with the Boston Bruins.
High praise indeed.
"He’s just one of those rare kids who just gets it and he creates offense without cheating defensively," DeBoer said of Johnston. "He’s just got a great conscience for winning hockey and that’s what makes him, in my mind, so special. The offense is great but that’s a special trait for a guy that young."
Defenseman Chris Tanev, who came to Dallas from the Calgary Flames in a trade on Feb. 28, echoed DeBoer’s analysis of Johnston.
“I think more impressive is how good he is defensively,” Tanev said. “I’m not sure how much people talk about that or if they do or not.
“I mean, he's on the ice with a minute left, he’s on the ice taking (penalty kill) face-offs against the other teams’ best players. He’s doing all the little things that you need to do to win and he’s scoring goals for us, too. Just how mature he is for how young he is, is incredible.”
But it’s more than just his defense. It’s his entire demeanor that has impressed teammate Matt Duchene, a veteran of 15 NHL seasons.
“He’s a tremendous player,” the forward said. “And I think a lot of us want to kind of join him at his level of game.”
That’s a big statement from a veteran on Johnston, who has eight points (five goals, three assists) in nine playoff games, tied for first on the Stars with defenseman Miro Heiskanen (three goals, five assists).
Johnston, who turns 21 on Tuesday, has been a big spark for the Stars, who play the Colorado Avalanche in Game 3 of the Western Conference Second Round at Ball Arena in Denver on Saturday (10 p.m. ET; MAX, truTV, TNT, SN1, SN, TVAS).
The best-of-7 series is tied 1-1.
Johnston had a strong rookie season, with 41 points (24 goals, 17 assists) in 82 games last season. He followed that up with 65 points (32 goals, 33 assists) in 82 games this season, when he was third on the Stars behind Jason Robertson, who had 80 points (29 goals, 51 assists) and Joe Pavelski, who had 67 points (27 goals, 40 assists).
Asked what Johnston has improved upon most from last season to this, forward Tyler Seguin struggled to find one.
“He already came with so many tools and he’s gained some new ones,” Seguin said. “But those tools he’s already had, he’s blossomed them and continues to get better.
“I had someone ask me recently, there are times in guys’ careers, there are players, I don’t know if you’re jealous of them or worried about maybe someone taking your spot or what. He’s just got that character and person that we just all love him. We’re one big family and he’s kind of always been the pup.”
Duchene, who is in his first season with Dallas, said Johnston benefits from having “that ice-water-vein disposition.”
“Very laid-back kid, calm. He’s mature,” Duchene said. “He had his ups and downs throughout the regular season, kind of like everybody did. The way we’re structured, you’re going to have hot streaks, you’re going to have cold streaks, things like that. He really started to trend upward at the end of the year.”
Johnston’s scoring has stood out in the playoffs; he scored four of the Stars’ 16 goals in their seven-game first-round series against the Vegas Golden Knights. Last year Johnston had the game-winning goals and series-winning goal in two playoff rounds: against the Minnesota Wild in Game 6 of the first round and in Game 7 of the second against the Seattle Kraken.
He said he’s learned a little with every postseason series.
“I think the experience is one thing, just learning how to manage those emotions,” Johnston said. “I’ve been in a lot of different situation the past two years. The biggest thing is managing those emotions in the playoffs.
“We’ve talked about that a lot. There are a lot of ups and downs. When you’re up in the game, it feels great. When you’re down in a game or a series, it doesn’t feel too good. So, it’s just learning how to try to manage those emotions.”
Johnston has been a force for the Stars. Considering what he’s already done and his potential, don’t be surprised if he continues to be a key factor for them.
“Overall, I’ve been pretty happy with how I’ve been playing but it’s still pretty early in the playoffs. I still think I’ve got more to give,” Johnston said. “I mean, it’s a long playoff, a lot of games, a lot of ups and downs. I think the biggest thing is to try to keep improving, not be content no matter what.”
