WBS PENGUINS: Defenseman Johnson eager for new opportunity

WILKES-BARRE — He hadn’t played in a game in two weeks entering the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins’ two-game homestand this weekend, but Ryan Johnson certainly had an eventful start to the season, beginning the year with the Buffalo Sabres organization before being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins on Oct 12.

“Just having a normal day, an off-day, and then that’s when I got the phone call. So, a lot changed obviously in that moment,” Johnson said. “I had to hop on a flight in the next four hours and pack up pretty much everything, too. So it was quick, and it’s also exciting and fun.”

Johnson flew to Chicago to meet the NHL Penguins in town for their game against the Blackhawks the following night, heading with the team on their road trip to Colorado andVegas before being reassigned to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last Sunday.

While the AHL Penguins practiced Monday, Johnson was given the day to head back to Rochester, New York — home to Buffalo’s AHL affiliate Rochester Americans and whathad been Johnson’s home entering his fourth year of pro hockey — to gather the rest of his belongings.

Back on the ice with his new teammates, Johnson was more than eager to get back to playing, despite being reassigned to the AHL.

“I think being able to, one, log minutes, and I think getting reps in here, too. Definitely, I’m not familiar with it, and it’s helped me in the past (to) develop and grow. So, I think just yeah, trusting being here is good, and just using it as an opportunity to continue to get better,” Johnson said.

Johnson, 25, is an effective skater and puck-mover at the pro level, breaking through to the NHL with Buffalo in his rookie season, appearing in 41 games and recording seven assists in his first foray into hockey at its highest level.

While in the AHL with Rochester for most of the subsequent three seasons, Johnson’s skating and puck-moving ability should transfer well with how active the defensemen are in Wilkes-Barre.

“I think he’ll fit in really well with our style of play, and how we want to do things,” Penguins coach Kirk MacDonald said. “We’re excited to get him in and get him up and running.”

Overall, it’s been a bit of a whirlwind and a lot of moving parts for Johnson the past two weeks, but it hasn’t changed his mindset at the rink or altered his faith.

“The thing I live by is give my best and my absolute best in whatever I do, and doing it for the Lord and not for people. So just having that mindset of, you know, whether in the gym or on the ice, I’m just going to be the best I can be,” Johnson said. “I think at the end of the day, your skills and abilities are God-given and good, so if you do that and apply that, you’re going to get good results.”

The trade ended one chapter in his pro career, but a new one begins with the Penguins, providing a new opportunity and a fresh start for a former first-round pick in another move that has Penguins general manager Kyle Dubas betting on upside and potential.

The start wasn’t what the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins hoped for Friday night at Mohegan Arena.

The ending didn’t get better.

Belleville scored three goals in the first period, and added three more in the third as the Senators picked up a 7-3 win over the Penguins.

WBS rallied to cut the deficit to 4-3 after two periods, only to see the Senators added three more to the scoreboard in the third.

Tyler Boucher had two goals to pace the Senators, while Phil Tomasino had a goal and three assists.

Daniel Russell had a goal and assist for the Penguins. Tristan Broz added his second goal of the year, and Jake Livanavage had a power-play goal in the second period.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton falls to 3-3-1, and remains fourth in the Atlantic. Belleville improves to 4-2-2 and sits third in the North.

The Penguins wrap up the weekend Saturday at 6:05 p.m. against the Hartford Wolfpack.