Former Wasilla High blueliner finds home in junior hockey

WASILLA — When he first hit the hallways of Wasilla High School as a freshman, Michael Johnston never imagined a scenario that included him leaving a year early.

But last year, the former Wasilla High hockey standout came to a realization. His budding hockey career needed an extra push. To keep his dream of playing college hockey alive, Johnston felt he needed to play in front of a broader audience.

Johnston opted to forego is senior year at Wasilla High and make the jump to the next level. This year, the defenseman will play for the Eugene Generals of the Junior A Tier III Northern Pacific Hockey League.

“This is something I really wanted to do this year,” Johnston said by cellphone Friday afternoon, just days after officially making the 2011-12 team. “In high school you’re not really scouted very much in Alaska. I wanted to get out and get seen.”

Johnston was a three-year varsity standout for the Warriors and finished his junior season as an All-North Star Conference selection and one of the top blueliners in the conference. He also was a top player in the Junior Avalanche Hockey Association, skating for both the U18 AA and U18 AAA teams.

As an upperclassmen, the Warriors assistant captain began to take a closer look at his hockey options. Originally, there was interest from the River City Jaguars, also of the NORPAC. But River City — a franchise now known as the Vancouver Victory — never officially tendered Johnston.

That opened up the door for Eugene, a team that has sported Valley players in the past, and the Generals made Johnston their first official tender of the recruiting year.

“I was relieved,” Johnston said of knowing he had a place in Eugene.

Johnston, who is still hoping for a shot at Junior A Tier II level sometime soon, did try out for other teams.

Johnston tried out for the Alaska Avalanche and the Kenai River Brown Bears, both of the Tier II North American Hockey League, but did not make the main offseason camp for either program. He also tried out for a team in the British Columbia Hockey League.

Even though the tryouts were not a success, Johnston said he learned from the experiences.

Johnston said coaches at the tryouts recommended he work on his quickness and add some bulk to his 6-foot-1, 170-pound frame.

The 17-year-old said he feels confident he can work on those things with the Generals.

Johnston is currently one of four defenseman on the roster, and is expected to be a top-4 blueliner when the season starts Sept. 30. Johnston said there’s also a good chance he may not end the season with the Generals.

“This year I’m looking to (get bigger) and move up to the (NAHL) at least halfway through the season,” Johnston said.

The Eugene coaching staff has told Johnston they aim to help him find an opportunity in the NAHL by the end of the year. Johnston said he’d love to play in Alaska, for the Avs or the Brown Bears, but will suit up for anyone willing to give him an opportunity.

“It’d be nice to play in Alaska, but I’ll take anything,” Johnston said.

Contact Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman sports editor Jeremiah Bartz at sports@frontiersman.com and follow him at twitter.com/matsu_sports.