Johnston excited to play closer to home
Swift Current’s MacKenzie Johnston can look forward to playing closer to home in his final Western Hockey League season after being dealt from the Kelowna Rockets to the Prince Albert Raiders last week.
The Rockets had been carrying four overage players, one over the league limit, and Johnston was traded to the Raiders to clear up the overage situation in return for a third round WHL Bantam Draft pick in 2015.
“I kind of saw it coming just the way our team was set up in Kelowna. We were heavy on the back and light up front so that is just the way it goes,” said Johnston.
Johnston is a veteran of 233 regular season games and 18 playoff games during his four-plus seasons in a Rockets’ uniform. The 6’2’’, 201-pound defenseman posted 19 points and a plus-29 rating in 49 games last season. He appeared in two games with Kelowna this season with one assist and a plus-two rating. Johnston was undrafted but made the Rockets as a 16- year-old list player and skated in 54 games during the 2009-10 season.
The Raiders had opened the season with five straight wins and were ranked second in the BMO CHL Top 10 Rankings on Wednesday behind the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada. His debut weekend didn’t go exactly as planned as the Raiders lost 9-1 to Edmonton on Friday and 5-2 to Swift Current on Saturday.
“We came out alright,” he said after Saturday’s loss. “We said our first five minutes was good. Then one goal against and we kind of imploded on ourselves. Now it seems to be a problem of not being able to bounce back after a bad shift or a bad goal or not even a bad goal, just a goal against. Inside the room we have to correct that with our confidence and make sure we are ready to go no matter what. We have to be able to hit the refresh button after something goes wrong.”
The fifth-year veteran said the quick reversal of fortune was indicative of life in the WHL.
“Yeah anybody can beat anybody on any given night. Right now this is a pretty Swift Current’s MacKenzie Johnston (centre) appeared at the Credit Union iplex in a Prince Albert Raiders’ uniform for the first time Saturday after being acquired from the Kelowna Rockets. Photo good division that we are in. Edmonton is a good team and I think that definitely took a little wind out of our sails. We didn’t get the bounce back that we needed tonight.”
He said the team couldn’t dwell on their weekend performance.
“It is early in the season and we have a little bit of a younger group in there and it is a learning curve for everybody, including myself. We have to have a good practice on Monday and get back to work on Tuesday.”
Johnston had a rough debut in a Raiders uniform but probably deserves the benefit of the doubt.
“I found out in Everett and I think these guys were playing Red Deer. I think I made it all the way to Prince Albert in less than 24 hours and just jumped into the game yesterday. We didn’t have that one go the way we wanted to and again tonight.” He played two games with the team without a practice to get acclimated with his new teammates or systems.
“It is different. It was tough not getting a practice in with the team or anything. We have a good group and a lot of potential. It is the beginning of the year so I think we just a need a little bit of work and we will be right where we need to be.”
Despite the rough start, Johnston is looking forward to his new opportunity in Prince Albert.
“I am happy about it and I am close to home. This team has a lot of potential and I am excited. We just have to get over the hump mentally and we will be ready to rock.”
The Raiders will visit the Credit Union iplex in Swift Current for three more games this season.
“Yeah for sure, it is nice playing at home. Hopefully next time we get a bit of a better outcome, myself included. It was a tough one but next time we are going to come out firing and looking for the win,” said Johnston.