Stars aligned: Why Joe Pavelski housed Wyatt Johnston and what’s next for the rookie

When Jim Nill and the Stars’ coaching staff began finalizing their NHL roster in training camp, Wyatt Johnston’s name was a staple in discussions. The 19-year-old centerman had earned his spot on the Dallas roster, and head coach Pete DeBoer had a good idea of where he’d play him in the lineup.

The bigger question: Where would Johnston live?

“It’s hard for a guy out of juniors, living with billets, 19 years old,” Nill said. “You don’t want him in his own place by himself.”

Since he arrived in Dallas for training camp, Johnston was living out of a hotel room in Frisco. Nill considered a handful of options but Joe Pavelski made the decision easy. The 17-year NHL veteran volunteered a guest room in his house to serve as Johnston’s new home.

“That’s just Joe,” Nill said. “(Pavelski) had Joe Thornton and Patrick Marleau do this for him (in San Jose). It’s kind of a passing of the torch.”

It’s a torch that Pavelski still has a firm grasp on, as he’s tied for the team lead in scoring through five games and is fresh off his first hat trick as a Dallas Star. At 38 years old, Pavelski is exactly double the age of Johnston, who won’t exit his teenage years until next summer. Although an older player housing a younger teammate isn’t uncommon in the NHL, it’s something Pavelski hadn’t experienced yet — at least, not from this side.

“Oh, Jumbo would do it all the time,” Pavelski said. “I think for us, to have an opportunity like this, you’ve seen it, you’ve lived it, you’ve been a part of it. … This is a decision where you feel very comfortable bringing him into our lives like that.

“It’s such an exciting time for him, exciting time for us and it’s just fun to be a part of it. He’s worked really hard to get to this stage. Having this opportunity, it’s right where he wants to be. You couldn’t be happier for him so we’re just trying to support him and make it as easy as can be for him.”

For where he’s at in his life, Johnston fits right into the mix of the Pavelski household. His work schedule aligns with Pavelski’s, which means getting to carpool to practice together sometimes, depending on what Pavelski has going on afterward. Regardless of whether they share a ride or not, Johnston has easy access to one of the best minds in the game.

“I’ve just been trying to ask him a million questions, pick his brain and learn as much as I can from him,” Johnston said. “He definitely has a lot of tips and tricks and things that I’m able to learn from him. … It’s pretty special to live with an NHL All-Star, an NHL legend, (somebody) probably going to be in the Hall of Fame. It’s just really cool.”

Johnston isn’t a stranger to living in another family’s house. He lived in a billet house during his time in Windsor, an experience that Johnston said was initially “nerve-racking” since it was his first time not living with his own family. Now that he’s used to that dynamic, adjusting to life with the Pavelskis has been easier. Pavelski himself has been an asset in that regard.

“He just kind of took me in and said, ‘This house is your house now,’” Johnston said.

Pavelski is a family man so Johnston’s roommates expand beyond the Stars alternate captain and include Pavelski’s son, Nate, who will celebrate his 12th birthday this week.

“Nate is a big hockey guy too,” Johnston said. “I like to talk to him about hockey and he shows me some of his clips and stuff.”

The person who makes it all work, though, is Pavelski’s wife, Sarah.

“She’s the one that allows it to happen,” Pavelski said. “As detailed as I think I am, I’m not that detailed. She makes our world so much easier. There’s a little bit of adjustment for everyone, a little extra steak on the grill, but it’s all good stuff.”

Johnston describes himself as a low-maintenance person so simply having a bedroom, a bathroom and a closet for himself is more than enough. While the setup has been great for Johnston and the Stars, it’s also been a big relief to Johnston’s parents, Chuck and Margot. Before Pavelski called them, they were considering temporarily uprooting their routine and moving down to Dallas to support their son for at least the first few weeks. Now, they sleep easier knowing their son is in good hands.

“We want him to feel at home,” Pavelski said. “He’s part of the family now.”

Monday marks the beginning of a pivotal week for Johnston. He’s played in all five of the Stars’ games thus far, meaning there are four trial games remaining before the Stars have to come down with a final verdict. Teenagers are allowed up to nine NHL games before their entry-level contract kicks in. Given the agreement between the NHL and CHL, teenagers can only play professional hockey if they’re in the NHL, so the AHL is not an option for Johnston at this juncture.

The decision on Johnston is a multi-layered one. From a hockey perspective, things are relatively straightforward. Through five games, Johnston has proven he can hang with NHL competition. He hasn’t put his stamp on the league but, physically and mentally, he hasn’t appeared glaringly overmatched. There have been moments of growing pains but those are inevitable for any young player breaking into the league and adjusting to the bigger, faster game.

Johnston’s also won the trust of the coaching staff, evident by his placement on the second power-play unit despite other veteran options. Johnston’s ice time has also remained pretty consistent. His first three games were a gradual rise from 13:33 to 14:41 to 15:34. He only played 9:18 in the fourth game of the season in Toronto on Thursday but that had more to do with the eight penalties the Stars took in the game. He rebounded from that dip by playing 15:25 on Saturday in Montreal, the third-highest time on ice among Stars forwards overall and second-most at even strength.

Staying in the NHL would appear to be the next logical step in Johnston’s development. He conquered the OHL last season, scoring 124 points for Windsor and winning the OHL’s Most Outstanding Player award. Even if he could maximize his ice time in juniors, he hasn’t exactly been lagging in that area in Dallas so far. With the way DeBoer deploys his lines, it’s unlikely that Johnston would be limited, save for exceptional situations such as Thursday.

While a gradual climb on the professional level may be ideal, such as what 2020 first-round pick Mavrik Bourque is going through in Cedar Park to begin this season, it’s not an option for Johnston. The NHL is the only option for the next level up. But there’s another side to the decision.

The Stars have to weigh the business aspect as well. Johnston has played well but has he been so much better than what the Stars could get out of Jacob Peterson, who has been a healthy scratch for every game so far this season? Could Riley Damiani, Bourque or Matej Blumel be forward options to call up from the AHL and provide similar contributions on their cheap deals?

If the Stars keep Johnston in the NHL this season, he will be a restricted free agent in 2025. The Stars already have Jake Oettinger due for a big extension that summer. If things get pushed back a year and Johnston begins his full-time NHL career next season, he’ll be up in 2026 with Jason Robertson and Mason Marchment. While the salary cap is expected to rise, it’s hard to project Johnston’s market. Denis Gurianov’s second deal came at $2.55 million AAV while Roope Hintz’s came in at $3.15 million AAV and Robertson’s just landed at $7.75 million.

The Stars have four games this week: Monday night in Ottawa, Tuesday night in Boston, Thursday night at home against the Capitals and Saturday afternoon at home against the Rangers. Saturday’s tilt could be Johnston’s ninth NHL game, though the Stars could delay that by mixing in a healthy scratch or two along the way. DeBoer has shown a propensity to stay consistent with his lineups but this week is also the first time this season he’s had to work through a back-to-back.

While the business element is impossible to ignore, the hockey side should dictate how things fall in the coming days. The Stars have usually prioritized the long-term play of a prospect’s development over the short-term necessities of the team. Johnston has four games left to make a statement. After that, the Stars will have to decide what’s best for the player, what’s best for the team and how those things mesh.

(Top photo of Wyatt Johnston: David Kirouac / USA Today)