When Wyatt Johnston isn’t breaking down plays on the ice, he’s often solving a different kind of challenge at home.
It’s a quiet hobby that mirrors the way the Dallas Stars forward approaches his game – with patience and pattern-recognition.
“I like to do jigsaw puzzles as a way to unwind,” the 22-year-old told NHLPA.com. “A variety of different things, including landscapes. I have done a bunch of different ones. They are pretty addicting once you get into them. There are number of things I like to do – I’m watching the shows ‘Shrinking’ and ‘Game of Thrones’ these days, along with reading and playing a little bit of videogames – but the most important thing is doing something that doesn’t require a lot of energy.”
On the ice, it is a far different story for one of the game’s top young offensive stars.
Johnston, the 23rd overall pick of the Stars in 2021, has been an impact player since he touched NHL ice.
On Oct. 13, 2022, against the Nashville Predators, he became the second youngest player (19 years, 151 days) in Dallas Stars/Minnesota North Stars history to score in his NHL debut.
Since his 24-goal rookie season, he has compiled three straight 30-goal campaigns, including a career-high 37 tallies (and counting) in 2025-26. After scoring his 30th goal in February, Johnston became only the ninth player since 2000 to record three straight 30-goal seasons before turning 23, joining the likes of Connor McDavid, Alex Ovechkin and Auston Matthews in the feat.
The Toronto-born forward has already set a new personal best mark in points, with still over a month left in the regular season.
“Being an offensive guy, controlling the play and generating chances with my teammates [is how I can be most effective]. And on the other side of the puck, not giving up a lot. Now in my fourth year, you have had the chance to play against the top guys around the league, so you know what you need to do to be stingy when you go up against them but also knowing how key it is to generate chances.”
What has he learned about himself and his game this season?
“That’s a tough question. I think you always are learning about yourself and your game. As a younger player, every year you add things, and you push yourself to learn more and be successful in the league. It’s something I’ve committed myself to over the first three and a half years, being a player who can produce and contribute to the Dallas Stars.”
And that is exactly what Johnston has accomplished in an NHL career with over 300 games to his name.
“It’s crazy. It feels like it has flown by. Honestly, it feels more like 100 games than 300.”
Johnston is quick to credit teammates, past and present, for the impact they have had on his life on and off the ice.
Lessons learned from those players have been game changing.
“Joe Pavelski, having lived with him for the first two years, is one guy who really helped me. I still talk to him a bunch. Jamie Benn is another guy, being the captain, who has been awesome for me. The veteran players like Tyler Seguin, and Ryan Suter when he was here, in my early years, you learn from them what it takes to be a pro. We have a lot of amazing guys here, people who are happy to help you or to listen any time.”
Johnston will no doubt lean on that expertise and experience down the regular season stretch and into the playoffs.
He’ll also adapt and pivot, when necessary, to the intensity that comes with playoff hockey.
“Every year is different. Every year you find new things that work for you on and off the ice. There are always new adversities that you face and new ways of approaching them. You are always able to take experiences from past seasons and then learn from those moments. At this part of the year, I have a good base, so to speak, to know what I can do to be the most impactful. You tend to dial-in on these things more and more later in the year and then into the playoffs. Hopefully, it pays off with a long playoff run.”
Johnston, as always, is ready for the challenge.
“You learn very early on what it takes, individually and as a team, to compete and be successful. I am very lucky and thankful to have come into a good team, a good group of people – that obviously makes things so easy to come to the rink.
“It makes want to push yourself to do whatever you can to be part of the puzzle.”
And whether it’s on his living room table or the ice, Wyatt Johnston seems to have a flair for finding where the next piece fits.
(Feature photo courtesy of Getty Images)
