It's just so bewildering that the Stars were able to draft Wyatt Johnston as low as they did in the first round. He's such a talented forward that, amazingly, other teams above the Stars in the draft weren't willing to take a risk on him and draft him. Jim Nill hit a grand slam after drafting him because it didn't take long for the Stars to move him to the NHL. Wyatt has been a godsend for the Stars and their journey to compete for the Stanley Cup.
He just signed a five-year extension back in March at the trade deadline. That's good news for the Stars, as many would have likely swooped in with offer sheets if a new deal hadn't been reached in March. With the new deal, there are a lot of responsibilities that Johnston will be counted on to do, like scoring in the postseason. Here are some of the other responsibilities the young forward might have to do with the new five-year extension.
Wyatt Johnston Responsibilities: 3. Anchor top power play line
Knowing the type of power play that Glenn Gulutzan will want, Johnston will probably be on the first power play line next season, along with other key scorers. That means Johnston will be counted on to be a scoring factor when the Stars get on the man advantage. It might be tough for him to score with Roope Hintz and Mikko Rantanen as his linemates on the power play, but he will be counted on to be a scoring factor.
Wyatt Johnston Responsibilities: 2. Be an assistant captain
Jamie Benn probably won't pass the torch with the captaincy until he retires, but that won't stop Gulutzan from possibly rewarding Johnston with the assistant captain role. Someone has to lead this team once Tyler Seguin and Jamie Benn retire from playing professional hockey. Johnston would be the ideal candidate to possibly take over as the next captain of the franchise. Why not start allowing him to gain experience as an assistant captain this upcoming season? It wouldn't hurt to see if he's ready to be a leader on the ice.
Wyatt Johnston Responsibilities: 1. Score in the postseason
Edmonton did a good job of shutting down Wyatt Johnston from being a scoring threat in the postseason in the Western Conference Finals. However, Gulutzan will need him to be a postseason scoring threat if the Stars want to return to the Western Conference Finals. He did a good job of scoring in the first two rounds of the playoffs; however, he needs to become a consistent threat. If the Stars get a consistent scorer out of Johnston, I would watch out for the Stars in the postseason.