I didn’t think I wanted to. It was definitely on the back burner … I don’t regret it at all. It’s one of the funnest times of my life.
— Jeremy Johnson
Former Yorkton Terrier Jeremy Johnson has earned All American honours in hockey following his third season as a Minot State Beaver.
“It’s pretty nice,” he said of the honour, adding he was a second team All American last season, but won’t be looking for the honour specifically this campaign. “I just wanted to try and lead the team.
“But being recognized like this is an honour.”
The honour may help one day when college is complete and Johnson takes a look around for a place to try pro hockey.
“They see that, they know you were one of the top players. It adds a little bit to your resume,” he said.
And turning pro is in the plans if he can find the right offer.
“I would like too, but I haven’t really looked into it much yet to see what league I might get a gig in,” he said. “… But I’d rather play hockey than work.”
Johnson said he would take an opportunity anywhere, but added Europe does hold some additional interest.
“I would enjoy that. I like the big ice surface,” he said.
In his first campaign in Minot, all Johnson managed was to lead the Beavers in scoring with 30 goals and 51 points in 33 games.
And he turned the trick this season as well with 30 goals and 50 points in 36 games.
“It was a pretty good year. We had a pretty good team this year. We were pretty deep,” said Johnson, who is back in Yorkton for the summer.
The Beavers won 32 games, and two of their losses came on the shootout.
“We had the best start in the school’s history,” said Johnson, who added the solid play continued right up to the playoffs.
But in the National Quarter Finals game the Beaver offence was stymied as they lost 2-0 to Iowa State.
“We couldn’t get it done,” said Johnson, adding the loss stung. “It kind of ticks a guy off. It was 1-0, we had chances. Their goalie played good. It just wasn’t our night.”
Asked how frustrating it was to have the offence shut-out, Johnson was blunt in his reply.
“It sucks … knowing we had one of the best offences in the nation but in that key game we couldn’t score one goal,” he said. “It wasn’t a great feeling that’s for sure.”
But hope springs eternal as they say, and such is the case for Johnson and the Beavers.
The team graduates three regulars, including Johnson’s centre Brett Nespo, and two other players who were in and out of the line-up, but a strong nucleus remains.
“We should have another run,” said Johnson who will enter the final year of college having to break in a new centre.
That said a familiar face will be back on the opposite wing, his brother Dylan, also an ex-Junior Terrier. The younger brother was inserted on the Johnson/Nespo line midseason and stuck, complementing the pair’s speed with his willingness to go into the corner to fight for pucks, contributing 14 points for his efforts.
Johnson said he enjoyed playing with his brother.
“We played a little bit together with him on the Terriers,” said Jeremy, adding as brothers they know what the other is likely to be doing on the ice in various situations.
Having Dylan as a line mate, roommate, confidant and brother is a definite asset in terms of being able to steady each other, said the elder Jeremy.
“If something goes bad on the ice we can talk about it,” he said, adding as brothers they can be brutally honest without worrying about it having a long term effect on the relationship.
“We’re going to have bad nights, but we can tell it like it is to each other.”
Away from the ice Johnson said school, he is taking physical education, “went really well,” adding grades-wise it was his best year.
What is interesting is that Johnson initially balked at the idea of college.
“I didn’t think I wanted to. It was definitely on the back burner,” he admitted.
Now he recognizes it as a right choice.
“I don’t regret it at all. It’s one of the funnest times of my life,” he said. “… It’s awesome.”
Johnson said the travel, the camaraderie on the ice and off, and the forging of new friendships have all contributed toy making college such a great experience.
But now it is summer. Johnson said he will soon get back in the gym for strength training, and he’ll work, but there are also plans to play baseball, golf and fish.
“Dad bought a boat so it’s go time now,” he said of fishing.
As for baseball he’ll again be patrolling the outfield for the Yorkton Yankees.
“We had a good year (in 2015). We won the league and Provincial ‘A’,” said Johnson, who added the diamond is a good place to stay physically active and get a break from hockey.
