PHILADELPHIA — As a 33-year-old with a recent history of injuries, Blackhawks forward Tyler Johnson has had a solid season.
For one thing, he has stayed healthier, at least outside of the month he missed with a foot injury. The Hawks’ victory Saturday against the Flyers was his 59th game — his most since 2019-20, his last season with the Lightning.
Johnson’s 16 goals are his highest total since 2018-19. And if he notches four more points in the Hawks’ last eight games, getting to at least 33 points, that also would be his most since 2018-19.
But don’t try coming to Johnson with those silver linings. His dissatisfaction with the Hawks’ ugly 22-47-5 record covers any individual successes with a wet blanket in his mind.
“[It has been] a pretty rough year all the way around,” Johnson said this past week. “I don’t think you can be too happy about really anything.”
Is it really that bleak?
“You have to try to have a positive attitude,” he said. “If you don’t, it makes life miserable, and I would rather not be miserable. You have to realize that we’re very fortunate to be able to play hockey for a living and do what we do and be around a good group of guys.
“But it definitely takes a toll on you — especially since I’ve been here [since 2021], and that’s basically how it’s been. It’s definitely frustrating in that respect. It grinds you a bit.”
Despite his frustrations about the fruitlessness of his three-year Chicago tenure — which might conclude this summer when his seven-year contract expires — Johnson remains engaged, trying to help the Hawks’ next generation learn from what he calls “youthful mistakes.” They deserve leniency, but he believes it’s also important to correct errors before they become habits.
In full-team meetings with the coaching staff present (most often video-review sessions), he is one of the most vocal Hawks, asking questions about tactical intricacies and seeking clarity about things he or other guys might find confusing. That kind of boldness wouldn’t necessarily be encouraged in every locker room, but under coach Luke Richardson, it is.
“The game is so fast that there’s little gray areas and cracks in every system that you iron out,” Richardson said. “We’re not going to have all the answers, but it’s good to talk about them. [Tyler is] a very alert player, and he makes everybody else think about those little intangibles in the game.”
Johnson frequently references lessons from his Lightning stint and did so again on this topic, mentioning how he knew exactly where every player would be in every situation.
The Hawks are nowhere near that degree of cohesion, but every inch they move in that direction should be beneficial.
“Gray areas that you can make more black-and-white, it helps everyone in the long run,” Johnson said. “The more you can talk about it, the more you can figure your things out, so everyone can be on the same page. If you just expect guys to make reads and make plays, your read is going to be different than mine, and it’s going to be different than the next guy’s.”
Many of his questions in those meetings pertain to how multiple players should interact within a given play. If a certain player is in position, where should the others be? If someone is out of position, then what? This is one instance where groupthink is preferable.
“There’s no right or wrong answers,” he said. “I just want everyone thinking the same way. You might think you want this play, and everyone else wants this one. Well, you might not have a wrong answer, but we would rather you think like everybody else: ‘Let’s do it this way.’ ’’
