WHEAT KINGS CAMP: Johnson’s dad a source of inspiration, advice

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 09/09/2021 (1490 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Trae Johnson doesn’t have to look far for inspiration as he seeks to begin his junior hockey career with the Brandon Wheat Kings.

The six-foot, 168-pound forward from Martensville, Sask., who was the 35th overall selection when he went in the second round of the 2020 Western Hockey League bantam draft, is the son of Nipawin Hawks legend Dion Johnson. The defenceman piled up an impressive 818 penalty minutes in 167 games in three seasons in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League in the early 1990s.

“He’s always taught me to work hard, and that if things don’t go your way, keep pushing, play your own game and don’t worry about what others are doing on the ice,” Johnson said. “You can only control what you can control. You have to go out there and have a good attitude, work hard and treat everyone how you want to be treated. That goes a long way when you do that.”

The left-handed shot, who turned 16 in May, is part of the only draft class in history that will have a chance to make the team on their first visit to Brandon. That happened because the 2020 prospects camp and main camp were cancelled, along with the 2021 prospects camp.

He certainly liked what he saw when he finally got his first look at Westoba Place and the Keystone Centre.

“It’s sweet,” said Johnson, who signed with the team in May 2020, shortly after getting drafted. “It’s a sweet building, sweet (dressing) room. The tour was great when we first came. All the staff, the coaches and trainers, are top notch and first class. It’s been amazing since I got here.”

He said he was especially impressed by all the recent renovations to the rink and the dressing room. And naturally, Johnson was struck by the professional atmosphere and the way the staff look after the teenagers.

“The way you get treated is awesome,” Johnson said. “It’s mind blowing.”

If Johnson makes the jump to the WHL, it will be his second new address in two years.

Since the Saskatchewan U18 AAA Hockey League is open territory — every player is a free agent and can choose what team they want to play with — Johnson headed north to join the storied Prince Albert Mintos, who have won the Telus Cup three times.

The Mintos only got five games in before the season was postponed, with Johnson drawing a pair of assists and six penalty minutes.

Frustratingly for him, he felt like he was just starting to find his way when things got shut down.

“I didn’t put as many points as I wanted to up, but that was going to come with playing more games,” Johnson said. “I thought I played good and had my chances. They started coming near the end before we got shut down. That sucks, but everyone was in the same boat so you just have to work hard in the summer and off-season and keep going.”

Johnson admitted it was a tough time after the season was paused, but he and his teammates always remained hopeful the season would resume, so they kept working hard.

One of the players he was battling against was fellow Saskatchewan product Quinn Mantei, who he’s had a lot of wars with on the ice over the years. Last year, Brandon’s 2020 first-rounder played with the U18 Moose Jaw Warriors.

“He’s unreal at defending and super fast,” Johnson said. “He’s a really good player. It’s awesome that I’ll probably get the chance to play with him here. He’s a great kid.”

In 31 games in his major bantam season with the Martensville Marauders AA bantam team — Saskatchewan doesn’t have AAA bantam — Johnson scored 36 goals and added 31 assists with 82 penalty minutes.

He has a good sense of his strengths and weaknesses, which may help as he moves to junior.

“I think I work really hard and I play a physical game,” Johnson said. “I’m skilled but I like to play the body and use my size and my speed. I try to play hard in all three zones.”

He certainly doesn’t think he’s the finished product, however, quickly adding that he’s working on every part of game while getting bigger and stronger. He put on some weight in the summer working with trainers while also trying to get faster.

While fighting has largely been removed from the junior game — a big difference from when his father played — the younger Johnson also plays a gritty game. In fact, Johnson plays the sort of game that could translate well in the WHL, even at 16.

General manager Doug Gasper has certainly been impressed by what he’s seen through rookie camp.

“Trae is a guy we really like,” Gasper said. “He’s got a real high compete level, his skating has really taken a step from when we last saw him about 18 months ago so we’re hoping for big things. We’ll see what main camp does. It’s another step up so we’ll see how he looks there.”

Johnson has a good sense of what he needs to do to impress Gasper and the rest of the team’s braintrust. Essentially, it’s showcasing what he does best, and channelling his father’s advice into his game.

“I have to always bring energy to the game, even if it’s not going my way,” Johnson said. “I have to try to do little things, block shots, get in front of shots, use my size to make hits, and then I have to show what I can do offensively also. I always have to bring a hard work ethic on the ice.” 

» pbergson@brandonsun.com

» Twitter: @PerryBergson