The Penguins have recalled forward Adam Johnson from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Jim Rutherford announced Wednesday.
Johnson, 24, expects to make his debut on Thursday when the Penguins play the Predators in Nashville at 7 p.m.
"It feels great," Johnson told me of the recall when he got into Nashville on Wednesday. "It's something I've been working towards, obviously, my whole life. For it to finally happen, it's unbelievable."
Originally a free agent signing out of the University of Minnesota-Duluth following the Penguins' development camp in 2017, Johnson is now in his second professional season with Wilkes-Barre. He's second on the team in goals (18), assists (22), and points (40) in 63 games. Johnson's most recent goal was this overtime winner against the Providence Bruins on March 16:
Johnson has already surpassed his rookie totals of 11 goals and 20 assists in 70 games, something Johnson attributes in part to his growing confidence.
"From where I started last year, I think I've come a long way," he said. "Obviously my game still has room for improvement, and I hope to keep doing that. I hope I can jump in and make an impact."
Johnson hasn't heard much of the Penguins' plans for him or where he'll be used, yet. He'll find that out at Thursday's morning skate in Nashville.
"I'm pretty sure I'm playing tomorrow, that's the extent of what I know," he said.
If he plays on the fourth line, he'll likely be reunited with one of his linemates from the start of the season in Wilkes-Barre, Garrett Wilson. The two teamed up for two goals in Wilkes-Barre -- Wilson had the primary assist on Johnson's second goal of the year, and Johnson and Wilson picked up assists on an Ethan Prow goal. If Johnson does play alongside Wilson again, he's looking forward to being reunited.
"He's obviously an awesome player, he does really well," Johnson said of Wilson. "He plays a good 200-foot game, and this year he started to score more in Wilkes-Barre. He brings that tough, physical game, great in the defensive zone. But he also provides offense. All-around, he's a good player. If I get to play with him, that'd be great. I'm excited for whoever I get a chance to play with."
Wherever Johnson ends up in the lineup, he'll surely provide a spark and some energy with his greatest asset — speed.
"That's the biggest part of my game, and I know they like to play fast," he said. "So I should be able to fit into their system well, do my job and try to provide any offense I can. Just do what I can."
He's very slender at 6-feet, 175 pounds, which is partly why he didn't get a call up earlier. When I spoke with Johnson earlier this season, he was pretty confident that his size wouldn't be too much of a weakness in the NHL.
“I think growing up it was hammered into my head that I have to get bigger, that I’m not going to make it unless I get bigger,” he told me at the time. “I think the game is changing where it’s more speed, and more of a speed game instead of big, heavy hitters and fighting. (Size) is becoming not as much as an impact, I think, but it’s still something where if you want to play in the NHL, you have to be strong enough to play there.”
While Johnson hasn't put on much weight at all in his two years as a pro, he's said that he does feel physically stronger. He knows it would be easy to eat junk and put on "bad" weight, but he's focused on putting on muscle in a healthy way, eating a lot, and eating often.
Johnson and the Penguins face a challenge ahead of them in Nashville, taking on the No. 4 team in the Western Conference, a team that's currently on a three-game win streak. Johnson is looking forward to the challenge, of course.
"I think it'll be awesome," he said. "I remember watching them in the playoffs and just being like, 'Woah.' The arena looked unbelievable to play in. I think it'll be a cool experience."
Johnson's mother, father, and older brother will all make the trip to Nashville from Minnesota in time for the game.
As excited as Johnson sounded on the phone, I asked him if he thought he'd be able to sleep tonight.
"Honestly I don't know, I've kind of been worried about that," he laughed. "I think it'll be pretty tough to fall asleep, but hopefully I'll be able to get a little bit."
• With Johnson's recall, Joseph Blandisi's emergency recall ended and he was re-assigned to Wilkes-Barre. Defenseman Juuso Riikola was also re-assigned to Wilkes-Barre.
Blandisi, 24, was scoreless in his six games on the fourth line on his emergency recall.
Riikola, 25, has only played in 37 games this season, and hasn't been in the lineup since March 2. Players are only eligible to play in the AHL following the trade deadline if they were on the AHL roster at the trade deadline. He was on the AHL roster in a paper transaction at the time of the deadline, keeping him eligible to be re-assigned.
TAYLOR'S VIEW
It can't hurt, right? Blandisi is nearly a point-per-game player at the AHL level, and approximately zero percent of that scoring ability has translated to the NHL over the past two seasons. Might as well finally give Johnson his shot. At the least, he'll provide a spark and some energy.
Johnson still needs to get stronger to stick in the NHL full-time, but his speed helps compensate for that. He was knocked off the puck easily at times in Wilkes-Barre, but typically he creates so much space for himself with his speed that it isn't really a factor. He's had a lot of breakaway chances for himself.
Johnson, a left shot, is comfortable at both wing and center, although he's primarily played wing in his career because he isn't as strong as he'd like to be on faceoffs. He played some defense in high school, too, so it helps that he has that perspective.
It'll be good for Riikola to get some games in. This isn't a conditioning assignment, he can stay down there for as long as they'd like. He can slide in on the first pairing alongside the right-handed Prow.
