Yorkton Terriers forward Dylan Johnson has had as good of a start to his Junior A hockey career as you can have in two seasons with his hometown Yorkton Terriers. The Yorkton product joined up as a rookie with his older brother Jeremy in the 2012/13 season, scoring two big goals to eliminate the Melville Millionaires in the Sherwood Conference Final to help the team win the SJHL title as a very useful power forward on the wing during his first season with the team. That led to last season where Johnson move out his older brother's shadow to become a fixture amongst the Terriers top forward lines, eventually scoring the game tying goal at the Royal Bank Cup to help force overtime and the first Junior A National Championship for his hometown.
With those big moments already on his list of accomplishments since joining the team he watched growing up in the city, Johnson is looking forward to another challenge in 2014/15 as the Yorkton Terriers look to defend their National Championship with what will be a new look roster with new leaders. Something that will mean that the 20 year old Johnson will be seeing an increased leadership role, something that he is looking forward to as the team starts to begin their preseason preparations this month.
"We have had great leaders in my two seasons here with guys like Devon McMullen and the Norrish twins along with all of the 20 year olds so to have the chance to step up and try to fill their leadership roles on the team is a big honour to have that expectation to help lead a team that just won a National Championship with some great leaders."
Getting experience over the past two seasons in high pressure situations and stepping up to those moments with big goals in the playoffs, Johnson mentions that his first campaigns with the Terriers should hopefully help in adjusting to going from being a younger role player to one of the most experienced players on the roster.
"Obviously winning two straight league titles with a great group of teammates has helped all of the returning players out in terms of experience and learning what it takes to win not only once but also to defend a championship along with pushing yourselves as a team to go one step further," mentioned Johnson.
"Hopefully as a group this season we can continue to have that type of work ethic and it is going to come from trying to do what has led to success in the past."
Johnson also feels that after stepping up in big moments he has the experience needed for a 20 year old season when he is expected to see an increased role.
"The past two seasons were about being able to contribute whenever I was on the ice behind the leaders of the team and I think I did that pretty well, scoring big goals in my rookie season before helping out to win the RBC Cup last spring," said Johnson who mentions that he will be hoping to add consistent production to his clutch play. "I am planning on adding more consistent production this season with an increased role to help lead as a 20 year old now and hope that those experiences I got playing alongside great teammates who did a lot in the SJHL will make me able to add that extra production."
Johnson's production has been that of a role player for his career, never topping 10 goals in a season despite his flair for scoring in the clutch come spring. Johnson wants to up that production, but says that his game of being a power forward who uses his body won't change while in the search of hopefully adding more goals in his final Junior season.
"My role is to be a power forward and that is what the coaches have expected of me so I am still going to wear down the opposing team by finishing checks and doing all of the things a power forward does, said Johnson who added that hopefully by doing the things he always does at a higher level points will come naturally. "If filling my role and helping the team keep winning comes with more points that is something that I will look forward to when it comes because I feel like I can contribute a lot this season as a veteran."
Coming off of two league championships at the RBC Cup last year, Johnson also has his sights on finishing his Junior career with more success with his hometown Terriers.
"The goal of every Junior player and every Junior team is to go and win the league along with the National Championship, Johnson mentioned. "We as a group have the goal of staying hungry and fighting for another run as far as we can go and the goal will be the same in trying to get better every day on the road to hopefully winning a championship."
