FRISCO, Texas — Wyatt Johnston is among a group of younger Dallas Stars players who have told coach Glen Gulutzan they want to take a step as leaders, Gulutzan said Wednesday. Johnston is entering his fifth NHL season.
Johnston looks bigger and stronger after his longest summer since he was about 19, according to Gulutzan.
“I think he’s had the best mentors you could probably have, I think, in this game,” Gulutzan said. “And he’s got them in the locker room, and obviously with Joe, he knows the relationship there, so he’s been mentored as good as you can. And kind of like the way I answered Otz’s question, I’ll answer this Johnny question, is there’s lots of us, Johnny, Ritzy, younger players, Nils, Otz is part of this younger group, Robo, that need to take, that want to take a step. I shouldn’t say need, that’s the wrong word, that they want to take a step in the leadership department, because they’re coming to that age where they’re taking more, and he’s one of them.”
“They’ve all expressed it to me, that they all think they can do more, and that’s part of this maximization thing that we’re talking about, is what can we do a little bit different or more that can help us,” Gulutzan continued. “And I think leadership, especially young players, as good a player as Johnny is and how professional he is, that’s the next step in helping this team in a positive way.”
Wyatt Johnston Enters Fifth Season After 45-Goal Year
Last season Johnston had 45 goals, 41 assists, and 86 points in 82 games. His 27 power-play goals led the NHL. He matched Jason Robertson for the team lead in goals.
Against the Minnesota Wild in the first round, Johnston had 4 goals, 2 assists, and 6 points in six games. He averaged 23:50 of ice time in the series.
Johnston turned 23 in May. Jamie Benn, who has played all 17 of his NHL seasons with Dallas, returns as captain on a one-year contract.
Jake Oettinger, Jason Robertson, And Nils Lundkvist Among Younger Dallas Stars Group
Along with Johnston, Gulutzan named goaltender Jake Oettinger, Robertson, and defenseman Nils Lundkvist in that younger group.
Oettinger went 35-12-6 with a .899 save percentage and a 2.59 goals-against average in 54 games. Robertson had 45 goals, 51 assists, and 96 points. Lundkvist had 3 goals, 8 assists, and 11 points in 52 games.
Gulutzan will judge this season on whether the group reaches its potential.
“I ask a lot of our players, and I’m going to ask them, is we need to max out our potential,” Gulutzan explained. “So what’s your potential? We need to max it out individually, and we need to do that as a team, and that’s the one thing I didn’t think we did. I thought we did, during the regular season, a good job of almost hitting the ceiling, obviously not in the playoffs.”
Camp opens Thursday at Comerica Center. The preseason opens Saturday, Sept. 19, at the St. Louis Blues, with puck drop at 6 p.m. CT.
