Johnston Commits to the Spitfires
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The Windsor Spitfires continue to add to their roster.
The team has just announced the signing of first round pick Wyatt Johnston.
The six-foot, 164-pound Johnston was the 6th pick overall in April's OHL draft but didn't report to the Spitfires right away due to questions with the team's ownership.
'There was just a lot of uncertainty around draft time so I was just listening to my adviser and trusting him to make the right decision," says Johnston. "Now that the ownership has cleared up, I'm really excited to take the next steps and getting to play in Windsor."
The 16-year-old centre had 48 goals and 94 points in 73 games last season for the Toronto Marlies Minor Midgets.
"I'm a smart player, I can find my teammates, I'm a pretty good skater, I'm quick and agile and I can also put the puck in the back of the net," adds Johnston.
Spitfires GM Warren Rychel describes Johnston as a dual threat scorer and playmaker that is dangerous every time he's on the ice.
"Always has the puck, always around the puck, can shoot the puck and put it away and he's a very intelligent hockey player and that's the thing that gravitated to me the most when selecting him (in the 2019 OHL Draft) was his hockey sense and IQ are very high," says Rychel.
Windsor Spitfires General Manager Warren Rychel (R) and the Windsor Spitfires first round pick in the 2019 OHL Draft, Wyatt Johnston. June 18, 2019. (Manny Paiva/AM800 Sports)
Rychel says Johnston has all the skills you could ask for in a young forward.
"Wyatt's a player that is very, very intelligent especially away from the puck," says Rychel. "He can shoot it, he gets open and he can play."
Johnston says he is thrilled to join the Spitfires organization and is glad the ownership questions are behind the team.
"I've heard great things about them, so I know they are going to do whatever it takes to help Windsor win another Memorial Cup and OHL championship," adds Johnston. "It's just really, really exciting."
Johnston's commitment comes less than one week after the Spitfires signed highly touted prospect Egor Afanasyev and Rychel feels they will have a good team on the ice.
"We've got a nice collection of young players mixed with some good older players and I think you're going to see a significant improvement," adds Rychel.
Rychel says management will now head to the NHL Draft in Vancouver this weekend and prepare for the CHL Import Draft next week.