Last season, Patrick Johnson and the Wisconsin Badgers fulfilled a dream. They had a tremendously successful season, earning an opportunity to play in the Frozen Four and an eventual national championship.
But unfortunately for Johnson, he had no impact on the outcome.
After playing 37 games during the 2009-10 season, Johnson was scratched from the lineup before the NCAA tournament began. He played a part in getting the Badgers to the Frozen Four in Detroit, but the Madison native was just a spectator as his teammates battled Boston College for the championship.
“That was tough especially with Patty because he’s such a good team guy and such a leader,” junior forward Jordy Murray said. “He took it really well, and he knew he wasn’t playing his best hockey at the end of the year for whatever reason. But he was our biggest fan in the stands.”
Johnson was struggling down the stretch last year, and head coach Mike Eaves knew he needed his best lineup on the ice to make a run at a title. Forward Podge Turnbull had been waiting for a chance to contribute, and Eaves gave Turnbull Johnson’s spot in the lineup as UW prepared to play Vermont in the first round of the NCAA tournament.
Wisconsin ended up losing 5-0 to BC weeks later in the championship game, and Eaves lost numerous seniors and a few juniors from that talented team to either graduation or the pros.
But Johnson is one of the few seniors back for this young Badger squad, and he came into the offseason ready to raise his game to a new level in his final collegiate season.
Murray noticed Johnson’s heightened focus and energy as soon as the summer workouts began.
“He worked real hard this summer, and being a senior, he kind of had a chip on his shoulder,” Murray said. “He wanted to prove what kind of player he is.”
Eaves has individual meetings with each of his players at season’s end, and his message for Johnson was clear – focus on making this last season the best one yet.
“You realize it’s your last year and then you’re done, and that really grabs guys’ focus,” Eaves said. “I wanted him to have a great summer and put on some body weight. I wanted him to come back focused and have a destination for the kind of year he wanted to have.”
For Johnson, that destination involves a trip back to the national championship game.
Now, in helping UW get there, Johnson is playing his best hockey as a Badger.
“He’s definitely stepped up his game this year,” captain Sean Dolan said. “It all started this summer. He really beared down off the ice with his strength training.”
“Patrick is probably playing his best hockey of his career here with us,” Eaves said at his press conference Monday. “He’s very focused, and he’s kind of settled down into what his role is and understanding it.”
Johnson has taken ownership of that role. He knows he’s a player that has to win battles along the boards, a player that has to finish checks and play within himself.
“It’s just about keeping it simple, knowing my role and getting to corners and being smart with the puck,” Johnson said.” My line is a grinding line, and it’s working for us right now.”
Perhaps the most noticeable aspect of Johnson’s role is his tremendous effort blocking shots.
In the home opener against Alabama-Huntsville, Johnson earned UW’s hardhat award (given out to one player after each game) for his fearless approach to getting his body in front of the puck.
Against Denver last weekend, the Badgers blocked 32 shots as a team, and it was Johnson who led the way in that category, especially on the penalty kill where those blocks are of utmost importance.
“It’s huge,” Dolan said of Johnson’s attitude toward blocking shots. “We have sheets up that show shot block leaders, hits leaders and things like that. It’s not unnoticed.”
In fact, teammates have noticed an improvement in all facets of Johnson’s game.
“He’s skating well, he’s hitting well, he’s blocking shots,” Murray said “He’s like the Patty Johnson I remember watching when I was a senior in high school and he was a freshman here.”
Johnson set the bar high after that freshman season. He scored eight goals and tallied 13 assists over the course of that rookie year, but he was far less productive in his second and third years.
As a sophomore, Johnson had three goals and four assists. His junior season statistics were identical – just seven points total.
Fans wondered where that goal-scoring touch went, and they wondered what happened to that point-producing freshman from three seasons ago.
Eaves knows the initial success got to Johnson mentally.
“Absolutely. When you first lose [the touch] you fight to get it back,” Eaves said. “You can’t let down mentally because it’s so precious to get it back. Patrick isn’t a natural goal scorer, but he’s a better one than we think. He’ll be productive for us this year.”
Johnson is still waiting for that first goal of this season, but scoring aside, the senior has a found a role he can play for this team.
He’ll do the dirty work, he’ll bring the energy and despite not being a formal captain, he’ll provide the kind of leadership only a senior who’s been through so many ups and downs can provide.
“Regardless of having a ‘C’ or an ‘A’ or not, being a senior, you’re going to be a leader,” Johnson said. “We have a young team, and whatever I got to do to get the guys going, I’ll be out there doing it.”
