2021 draft pick Kaeden Johnston off to flying start at London Knights camp

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Kaeden Johnston has been trying to become a Knights regular for the last couple of seasons.

He is off to a good start this time. He scored twice in each of London’s 5-4 exhibition victories over Erie this past weekend.

“They got me here for a reason,” the 19-year-old from Peterborough said. “They believe in me still. I believe in myself and they know that. I’m just trying to go out there, crack the lineup and be a full-time guy, and an impact guy.”

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Johnston was picked in the fifth round of the 2021 OHL draft. He was a terrific Junior B scorer with Komoka and managed six goals in 48 OHL games of limited ice time with the Knights.

“It’s phenomenal to see him come out, have success and be happy,” London associate GM Rob Simpson said. “It’s been a long time coming for him. To feel good about himself and feel like the work he has put in is paying off is nice for everybody in the organization.”

Johnston’s off-season back home was about “staying low and working hard.” He did visit his sister, a radiologist in Calgary, for a week and saw the mountains.

He is trying to climb the hockey version of them now after appearing in just one playoff game with the OHL champs and Memorial Cup finalists.

“The adversity is hard,” the six-foot-one, 175-pounder said. “You learn a lot through that. You learn Dale (Hunter’s) little things like defence and learn just by watching. They did it for a reason and I’m glad they did.

“I hope it all pans out.”

The Knights like how he is using his speed and finding the open spots on the ice. They could use some additional offence with Max McCue graduated and question marks surrounding the future of Easton Cowan and Kasper Halttunen.

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“He’s going to the dirty areas more consistently and getting in on the forecheck more and getting puck possession,” Simpson said. “If he can continue to do that, he has all the tools to be successful.

CAMP TIME: The Knights are sending an incredible 13 players to NHL rookie and training camps this week. They are: Ruslan Gazizov (Ducks), Sam O’Reilly and Will Nicholl (Oilers), Jared Woolley (Kings), Ryder Boulton (Senators), Landon Sim (Devils), Jesse Nurmi (Islanders), Denver Barkey and Oliver Bonk (Flyers), Sam Dickinson and Halttunen (Sharks), Cowan (Maple Leafs) and Jacob Julien (Jets).

Dickinson was the 11th overall pick in June, but San Jose’s second selection because they took Macklin Celebrini at No. 1. There was no sense one of the best defensive prospects in the draft was overshadowed by the highly-skilled forward.

“That stuff didn’t really worry me,” Dickinson said. “I know what I mean to that team and they expressed how excited they are to have me part of San Jose. It’s reciprocal. To have Mack there as well – a guy I know from previous Hockey Canada teams – it’s exciting, as well. They’re obviously going to pump him up a bit. He’s such a special player and to play with him and not against him is nice for me.”

rpyette@postmedia.com

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