Ryan Johnston had a simple plan when he showed up at the Canadiens development camp in July.
The 23-year-old defenceman was heading back to Colgate University for his senior year, but was hoping to make enough of an impression that he would get a chance to try out for the Canadiens Jersey when he graduated.
“I went to the New Jersey development camp the previous summer and Scott Masters, who is the Canadiens’ college scout, started talking to me and I couldn’t pass up the chance to attend the Canadiens camp,” Johnston said.
“I had a pretty good camp and Scott talked to me and then I talked to (assistant general manager Larry Carrière) and two days later they offered me a contract.”
It was a two-year, entry-level deal and Johnston decided to accept it and put his pursuit of a geology degree on hold.
Johnston grew up in a hockey-playing family in Sudbury, Ont., and decided to go the Tier II and U.S. college route, following in the path of his four older siblings. In addition to being a family tradition, it was a question of size.
Johnston believed he needed to get bigger and stronger and felt a U.S. college career would help him in that respect rather than playing junior hockey.
“Colgate was good for me because they gave me the time to develop,” Johnston said. “You can make mistakes and the coaches are patient. Colgate is a good school and it was a great experience.”
Johnston is still small. He’s listed at 5-foot-10 and 180 pounds, but those measurements seem generous. However, Johnston said he makes up for his lack of size with other assets.
“I’m fast and I make a quick first pass,” said Johnston, who impressed the Canadiens with his play during a four-team rookie tournament in London, Ont., last weekend.
Johnston, who grew up as an Ottawa Senators fan, has hockey in his blood. His uncle, Mike Johnston, is a career coach who is currently the head coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins. His sister Kathleen played hockey and soccer at Harvard and was a member of Canada’s national soccer team. Sisters Sarah and Rebecca and brother Jacob all played hockey at Cornell. Rebecca won gold medals as part of Canada’s national women’s team at the Vancouver and Sochi Winter Olympics.
Johnston said he’ll complete his university degree during the summer. When someone mentioned that geology was a field with good job prospects, Johnston replied: “Geology is a good career, but right now I’m focused on this career.”
The rookie camp wrapped up Wednesday with an on-ice session in Brossard and 19 of those players will move on to the main camp, which opens Friday in Brossard after medical and fitness tests on Thursday.
The rookie group includes four undrafted players who are on tryouts: goaltender Michael McNiven and forwards Markus Eisenschmid, Angelo Miceli and Jamal Watson. With the exception of McNiven, they are all looking for minor-league contracts.
McNiven, who is only 18, must return to his junior club in Owen Sound. The only NHL preseason action he’s likely to experience will be in Sunday afternoon’s intrasquad game at the Bell Centre, but he’s soaking up the atmosphere.
“I’m learning a lot,” McNiven said. “Carey Price is one of the best goaltenders in the world and the coaches here are great and this camp will help going back to junior.”
The training-camp roster includes 58 players, but Eisenschmid, Mark MacMillan and Noah Juulsen, the Canadiens’ first-round draft pick this year, are injured and won’t be on the ice to start camp.
Charles Hudon and rookie defenceman Josiah Didier are listed as day-to-day after leaving Wednesday’s practice.
Max Pacioretty will be skating on his own to start camp. He was on the ice for about 40 minutes Wednesday afternoon in Brossard as he continues his rehab from a broken bone in his leg.
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