Andrew Johnston
Saskatoon Saskatchewan
Pro
| Birthday: 1991-07-06 | Position: LW |
| Eligible for draft: 2009 | Shoots: Left |
| Drafted: | Height: 6-1 |
| Acquired: Free agent signing, 2012 | Weight: 178 lbs. |
Probability of Success
- C
History
2009-10: Having played in four games for Flin Flon two seasons earlier while still in midget hockey, Andrew Johnston skated in 56 games for the Bombers in his first full season in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League. Johnston was fourth on the team with 43 points in 56 games. He scored 15 goals with 28 assists and had 46 penalty minutes. In six playoff games he scored 1 goal with 1 assist.
2010-11: Johnston returned to the SJHL with Flin Flon rather than skating for the WHL’s Saskatoon Blades (who held his rights). He was the Bombers’ second-leading scorer behind former WHL forward Ryan Fox; scoring a team-high 34 goals with 32 assists in 66 games. Flin Flon reached the conference semifinals after finishing fifth in the Bauer Division during the regular season. Johnston scored a team-leading 6 goals with 3 assists in nine playoff games. He committed to playing college hockey at Union College in 2012-13.
2011-12: Johnston went from Flin Flon to Humboldt in his third SJHL season and was the Broncos leading scorer as the Broncos won the Bauer Division and SJHL championships and advanced to the RBC Cup semifinals. He scored 29 goals with 52 assists in 58 regular season games and added 10 goals with 4 assists in 16 SJHL playoff games. Johnston led all scorers at the RBC Cup (Canadian Junior A championship); scoring 5 goals with 4 assists in five games. In May 2012 he signed an entry-level contract with the Flyers rather than playing college hockey at Union.
2012-13: Johnston appeared in 29 games for the Flyers’ AHL affiliate in Adirondack and skated for the ECHL’s Trenton Titans in his first pro season. He began the year with the Phantoms, seeing limited ice time with a glut of forwards due to the NHL lockout, and was sent to Trenton in November after playing ten games. He played two games with the Titans before suffering a concussion. Johnston missed most of December then played six more games with the Titans before returning to Adirondack in January. Johnston scored 2 goal with 3 assists and was -3 with 5 penalty minutes with the Phantoms. Adirondack missed the AHL playoffs. In 18 games for Trenton he scored 3 goals with 8 assists and was -13 with 8 penalty minutes.
2013-14: Johnston skated in seven games for Flyers AHL affiliate Adirondack in his second pro season; spending most of the season with the ECHL’s Orlando Solar Bears. He was minus-1 with no points and 2 penalty minutes playing for the Phantoms. Johnston scored 4 goals with 15 assists and was an even plus/minus with 42 penalty minutes in 50 games for the Solar Bears. Orlando finished second in the South Division and lost to Cincinnati in a first round playoff series. Johnston was with the Phantoms during the ECHL playoffs and did not appear in any games for Orlando.
2014-15: Johnston appeared in 14 games with Flyers’ AHL affiliate Lehigh Valley in his third pro season, spending most of the season with the ECHL’s Reading Royals. He had 1 assist and was -6 with 2 penalty minutes with the Phantoms. Johnston scored 6 goals with 14 assists and was +16 with 42 penalty minutes in 42 games with Reading. The Royals finished third in the East Division, and lost to South Carolina in seven games in a first-round playoff series. Johnston scored 1 goal with 3 assists and was -1 with 4 penalty minutes in seven playoff games. He was not tendered a qualifying offer by the Flyers, becoming an unrestricted free agent.
2015-16: Johnston skated for three different ECHL teams in his fourth pro season, beginning the year with South Carolina and skating in 14 games with the Stingrays — missing time in November and December. He was traded to the Indy Fuel in January, playing 12 games and finished the year with the Tulsa Oilers. In 40 games between the three clubs he scored 4 goals with 11 assists and was -13 with 16 penalty minutes.
Talent Analysis
Johnston went directly from the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League to the professional level and was hampered by concussion issues in his first pro season. While he dominated playing at lower level junior hockey, he has yet to show the same offensive production; even at the ECHL level.
Future
Johnston skated for three different ECHL teams in 2015-16 after not receiving a qualifying offer from the Flyers. Signed directly out of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League as a 21-year-old in 2012, he was hampered by injuries throughout his three years in the Flyers' organization and was never able to score with the consistency he did in junior hockey. Johnston is likely to play out his career at the minor pro level.
